After The Blaze
by SuperHeroFan82
Summary: set around the 2012 series, what if by some chance that Tang Shen had not died in the fire? What if after all those years she goes looking for her husband? read and review, no flames only constructive criticism. Rated T for strong language, fighting and blood. And suggestive themes in later chapters. This does not follow the 2012 series story line just characters.
1. Chapter 1

**After The Blaze**

**Summary: What if Tang Shen had not died in the fire... **

**A/N: I can't type in Japanese so bare with me.**

**It was brought to my attention that I made a big mistake in this chapter, so I corrected it and now it should make more sense. **

**Thank you Eira Day for pointing out the error.**

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_Fifteen Years after the fire in Japan..._

She walked along the streets of Japan going to her usual market place to by food, it had been fifteen years since that horrible night... the night she lost her family to anger, hatred, and pure jealousy. The breeze from the early spring morning blew her long black hair, she watched as families walked past, oh how she missed her husband and daughter dearly she only hoped that she had been wrong and they didn't parish in the fire.

She saw an old friend of hers coming her direction and she said "Good morning Mia, and how is your family today?" Mia frowned and said "Shen listen, I have learned something. Homato Yoshi is still alive! He left shortly after the blaze took down your home." Tang Shen bowed her head and felt tears in her eyes "how do you know this? Its not what I was told."

"I know my friend, but Yoshi collapsed after the blaze that took you home. He sat for too long in the yard holding you, he... He thought you were dead..."

Tang Shen didn't know what to say, officials had told her that her husband and daughter died in the fire.

"what... what of my daughter?"

Mia bowed her head and felt tears coming to her eyes "no one knows."

"How is it you have this information?"

Mia explained "my father was an officer at the time, he told no one what he saw, but he told me... He felt guilty about never telling any one what he saw, so he quit the force."

Tang Shen put her bags down and put her face in her hands, all of the hurt and pain she felt was all coming back to her. She never went out to find love again after her husband had passed, now she knew what she had to do. She had to find her husband "do you know where he might be?"

"in the United States, in a state called New York."

"then I must go, tonight."

Mia gave her a hug and said to her "good luck my friend and have safe travels."

_New York City 15 years after the fire..._

Homato Yoshi, better known as Splinter stood looking at the old photo of his beloved wife and daughter, he felt a tear escape his eyes as he thought about how his wife had died in the fire. How he had held her lifeless body in his arms, he could still hear his daughter's screams as Saki walked away with her. He felt he had failed... Failed as a husband and failed as a father.

But thanks to a near collision with a TCRI truck he got mutated into a rat, but what really hurt his sole was he had lost his baby turtles down into the sewers after they had come into contact with the mutagen as well. He remembered going into the sewers and looked for them, he found two that were huddled along a wall scared and cold. He picked them up, he noticed one had green eyes and one had dark blue. He smiled at them and said softly.

"i will not let anything happen to you, no need to be frightened."

He walked a little further and found another young turtle this one taller then the two he had in his arms. The little turtle shied away and Yoshi said to him.

"it's alright little one, I will not hurt you."

the small turtle looked up to him, and crawled after him as he began to walk further down the tunnel. Suddenly a cry was heard, Yoshi looked around for the source and found the forth and smallest turtle he picked the little one up. The small turtle struggled and he said softly.

"it's OK little one, I will not let any one hurt you."

The small turtle looked up at him his blue eyes shining like diamonds with tears in them, Yoshi could see the fear in his eyes. Looking down at his new wards he said to them.

"we are now a family my sons. Come let us find a better place to call home."

Leading the way still holding the smallest turtle Yoshi realized he had a second chance, looking back he saw the other three close behind crawling.

Yes this would be his new family, he would raise them the way Tang Shen would have wanted them to be raised. With love and understanding...

He was pulled from his thoughts by a small voice.

"Master Splinter? Are you alright?"

Turning he saw his youngest son Michelangelo looking up at him, he could see the concern in his eyes, Splinter wiped his eyes and said.

"yes, I am fine, did you need something?"

Shifting from one foot to the other he said softly.

"Leo says that lunch is ready."

Splinter smiled down at his son and said to him kindly.

"thank you Michelangelo, now go join your brothers I will be along shortly."

Mikey turned to leave but turned back around to see his father with his back to him, he asked timidly knowing this was a touchy subject.

"father... do you miss them?"

Splinter turned around again and said to him.

"Yes Michelangelo, I do."

"What if they are still alive?"

Splinter frowned and asked.

"how could they be my son the fire... it burned every thing... and she was lifeless in my arms..."

Michelangelo may not be the most inelegant turtle but he was far from stupid.

"father... I had a weird dream last night..."

Splinter turned to his son who now had his attention.

"was it another nightmare?"

Michelangelo looked down at the floor before saying.

"yes... and no. It was like I was there but I wasn't there."

Splinter frowned and tried to understand.

"how do you mean?"

Mikey gulped and looked up at his tall father.

"its hard to explain."

Splinter stroked his beard and stared at his son thoughtfully before telling him.

"Tell me about your dream my son, just tell me what you saw."

Mikey swallowed hard and started from the beginning:

_The night before..._

_The Dream:_

_Tang Shen was walking down the streets of New York on a cool night, She seemed as though she was looking for some one. Then from out of no where twenty Foot Ninja's came out of the shadows and attacked her. She fought with the knowledge she has in the martial arts but to no avail, she had been captured by the Foot. _

_While the turtles were on patrol they had seen the fighting but for some reason they could not get down to her. Michelangelo was the only one that could move his legs enough to flip over the building's edge and down to the ground below. But for what ever reason he left his Nunchuks at home, he tried to fight off the Foot bravely but to no avail as he got captured him self. _

_While the two were being transferred to the Foot Headquarters Shen told Mikey._

"_I will make sure you get free... Tell your father I am alive... and I am headed for New York..."_

_Mikey wakes up:_

_Sitting bolt upright in bed Michelangelo could feel the sweat dripping down his face, his throat was dry. Before he had time to really do anything further his bedroom door swung open and his oldest brother came inside._

"_Mikey? Are you alright? I heard you scream."_

_Mikey looked up at his big brother and saw the worry in his blue eyes. _

_Leonardo sat next to him and put an arm around his shoulders, he could feel that his little brother was still scared and shaking._

_Mikey took a deep breath and said._

"_I had the weirdest dream dude..."_

_Leo knew Mikey didnt always remember his nightmares so he listened carefully._

"_I dreampt that Tang Shen was in New York! And she is looking for Master Splinter! But in the dream she got attacked by the foot and caught. And that the four of us tried to help but you guys couldn't move from the rooftop. But my feet were the only ones to work so I jumped down and tried to rescue her only for them to catch me too."_

_Leo frowned and looked into his little brother's baby blue eyes and told him._

"_You need to talk to Sensei about this, that doesn't sound like any ordinary dream Mikey. Its one of those premonition dreams you get some times..."_

_Back to present..._

Splinter stroked his beard again as he listened to his youngest son's tale, after a few minutes he said softly.

"This is strange son, I must admit that, but if your dream is correct then Shen is in danger if she comes to New York. If Oroku Saki finds out or even knows she is alive then he will stop at nothing to get her."

Leonardo had been in the doorway listening.

Splinter sensed his eldest sons presence and said.

"Enter Leonardo."

Leo appeared sheepishly from the door way, he knew his father got annoyed when they eavesdropped in on a conversation, but Mikey's dream bothered him.

Leo walked over and sat on the floor next to his little brother, clearing his throat he said softly.

"Sensei do you think Shen could really still be alive?"

Splinter thought about it and said honestly.

"I keep telling my self no she cant be... because she was lifeless in my arms, I didnt see any life too her... But Michelangelo's dreams about future events have **almost never** been wrong... If it is correct then that means she is on her way here to New York."

Leo frowned deeply and asked.

"But, if you thought she was dead, then how can she be sure you survived? Why would she risk coming here to find out? Your not listed anywhere? It would be like looking for a needle in a hay stack?"

Splinter knew his son had a good point and told him.

"Go get Donatello, and ask him to bring his Laptop."

Leonardo nodded and said.

"Hai Sensei."

Leonardo went to his younger brother's lab and saw him working with some chemicals and waited patiently for him to put the eyedropper down before saying.

"Donnie, Sensei wants to see you, and bring your laptop."

Donatello looked up, wearing his protective goggles he looked up at his brother and told him.

"Sure, I will be right there, I need to finish this or there will be an explosion, and I don't feel like ticking Raph off this early in the morning."

Leo chuckled and turned from the room and went back to the dojo to wait for his brother to show, he passed Raph in the hall.

"Leo where did ya disappear too? I thought we were gonna eat breakfast?"

Leo looked over at him and said.

"We will, but something has come up for the moment, why don't you come to the dojo too. This effects all of us."

Raph frowned and said.

"What does? What is going on fearless?"

Leo looked into his green eyed brother and said gently not wanting to agitated him.

"Mikey had one of his 'dreams' last night, and Sensei thinks it means something."

Raph raised his eye ridge and said.

"OK, so bonehead had a dream so what?"

Leo turned to completely face his immediate younger brother.

"About Tang Shen."

Raphael's eyes went wide and didnt say a word as the two eldest went to the dojo to wait on Donatello.

Splinter looked up when the two entered.

As Leo sat back down beside Mikey with Raph on his left he said to their father.

"Donnie was mixing chemicals, he said unless we want an explosion he needs to finish what he is doing."

Splinter nodded his understanding and they waited.

Ten minutes later Donatello came running into the dojo with his laptop in hand, he skidded close to Raph and landed on his knees next to his hot headed brother.

"Sorry Sensei, I had too..."

Splinter put his hand up to silence him.

"It is fine Donatello, Leonardo told me you had to finish. Tell me my son, are you able to find some one on the internet."

Donnie frowned and asked.

"How do you mean? Like find their location? Of where they live and such?"

Splinter nodded and said.

"Yes that is what I mean."

Donnie nodded and said.

"Yes, you can find just about any one on the internet."

Splinter reached behind him and took the small table and put it in front of his second youngest and said.

"I would like you to do a search for Tang Shen, if you can try to get any information on the fire from 15 years ago."

Donnie was already typing away on the computer, he frowned and said.

"There were three fires, three days apart, I do not know what one was yours."

Splinter moved to sit behind his son and looked over his shoulder, he saw a link that read:

_Homato Fire._

"Donatello, its the fourth paragraph down."

Donnie looked and saw what his father was seeing and clicked on it.

Raph, Mikey and Leo crowded around their brother and listened to the two talk.

Donnie was reading about the fire, then near the end he read aloud:

"In the case of the Homato Fire, there was no evidence of any human remains in or around the home, indicating that Homato Yoshi and Homato Miwa are still alive and considered missing persons. The cause of the fire is considered arson, we have not found any evidence of who started the fire. But if there is any information on Miwa or Yoshi then please contact the local authorities in Tokyo.

Tang Shen, wife of Homato Yoshi was found barely alive about 10 yards away from the home and was taken to the hospital for second degree burns and smoke inhalation, along with a concussion. She had no recollection as of right now on who could have burned her home and has no idea of where her husband and daughter are. Locals are saying that Yoshi took off with their young daughter after a confrontation just outside the home just the day before. So police are looking for a possible kidnapping as well as the arsonist."

Donnie finished reading and looked up at his father and said.

"They are blaming you? But... why?"

Raph spoke next.

"SO Shen is still alive? And so is Miwa? But where are they now?"

Splinter told his sons.

"I am not worried about the accusations, we need to find out if Shen is coming to New York. I do not want Saki to get her."

Donnie typed in a few things and hacked into the airport computer for any flights coming to New York.

Leo asked his brother.

"Can you find out who the passengers are?"

Donnie stopped typing and looked over at him and said with a sly smile.

"Does Mikey like pizza?"

Leo smiled and watched as his brother brought up a list of passengers, and sure enough there was a Tang Shen listed.

Splinter looked at departure time and then landing time. He looked up at the clock and said.

"She landed some time last night, the times listed are not for eastern time zone."

Donnie looked up again at his father and said.

"Yea and with the international date line, she could have landed yesterday or is landing tomorrow."

Splinter looked down at his sons and told them.

"Tonight's patrol I want you to keep to the shadows and look for Shen, I want to know if she is here in New York or not. If she is, then call and tell me my sons. Now remember she does not know about my transformation, she does not know about you. And she may not know I am here in New York."

Raph looked up at his father and asked.

"Do ya want us to approach her? If we find her?"

Splinter shook his head and said.

"No, not yet... if you can avoid it."

Splinter and the turtles went on about their day, then that night the turtles went on patrol. All any of the four of them wanted was for their father to be happy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 Searching**

**A/N: there are some Japanese words in this story starting with this chapter, I will put the translations at the bottom of the page.**

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Tang Shen sat nervously in her chair on the air plane as she flew to New York, she hoped and prayed that her friend had been correct about her husband. She knew he would never find any one else not after all this time.

It was dark when she landed and after she gathered her bags she called for a taxi and went to the hotel she had reserved from Japan. When she went to check in the woman smiled at her and said "hello Ms. Shen and how was your flight?" Tang Shen smiled back tiredly and said "it was long but good thank you. Can I ask you something." "Any thing miss."

"do you know a man named Homato Yoshi?"

The woman thought for a moment and said "name doesnt ring any bells miss I am sorry."

A tall man sitting near by in a chair turned at the name and said "i know of a Homato Yoshi."

Tang Shen was tired but now she was fully awake she walked over to the man he was large in size, very muscular and had wide shoulders his hair was in a small pony tail on the back of his neck.

She asked "really? Where is he? How do you know him?" the man stood and said "the names Bradford and I knew him some time ago when he was working, at some factory in Manhattan, then one day he just up and disappeared. A friend of mine says he knows Yoshi is still around but is hiding for some reason."

Bradford couldnt help but think he knew this woman from some where "what is your name miss?"

Tang Shen swallowed hard at the hard gaze the man was giving her and said softly "Tang Shen." Bradford stared at her in shock before saying quickly "oh, ok um I have to get going. It was nice talking to you."

"how will I find you if I..."

he was at the door and he turned and said "i know where to find you if I need to."

Tang Shen turned back to the counter and got her key and went up to her room. She knew that conversation was weird, but she was now tired and had to get some sleep.

She woke up in the middle of the night to the same nightmare that has plagued her for 15 years now. Getting out of bed she got dressed and decided to take a walk, she went out the doors and walked along the streets of Manhattan. The moon was full and the air was crisp with the Autumn air swirling around her. Living in Japan was different then this world, it was like the city was still awake, cars rushed by, people were out and about.

She looked up to the sky and noticed a figure jumping from one roof top to the next, she noticed that the figure wasn't alone there were three others with it.

She followed them with her curiosity getting the best of her.

_On the roof tops..._

Leonardo lead his brothers from one roof top to another patrolling the city, he knew their chances of finding Tang Shen was slim to none, especially if she thought her husband was dead. But he didn't want to rule out any possibilities, they carried on in their search. Mikey stopped short for a minute an looked over the edge of the building, Donatello stopped beside him "what's wrong Mikey?"

"i had this feeling of being watched."

Donnie leaned over the edge and then quickly pulled his brother back, "there was a woman looking up here. Better stay away from the edge, come on we need to catch back up to Leo and Raph."

Leo and Raph were waiting for them, "where did you two go?" Leo demanded once the two caught up with them. "Mikey felt like some one was watching us so he stopped to check it out, I couldn't just leave him Leo." they looked at each other for several moments before Leo said sternly "next time yell ahead, we can't afford an ambush from the foot."

Mikey spoke up next to Donnie "that woman seemed familiar some how..."

Raph frowned and said "what woman?"

"the one that was looking up at me and Donnie."

Leonardo's eyes grew wide and he said in a heated voice "some one saw you?"

Donnie jumped in to defend him "no, I don't think she saw us, we were in the shadows and she was under a street lamp."

Raph crossed his arms and thought to himself _shell I am glad its not me for once who is in trouble._

Leo looked at his youngest two brothers heatedly and said "you don't think some one saw you! Donnie now could you let that happen!"

Donnie stood his ground in front of his shorter brother "i said that I 'don't' think we were seen. Its not the same thing Leo, she kept walking after she looked up."

Raphael silenced them "can it... some one is here..."

the two bickering brothers looked around and behind a near by billboard stood Karai "huh, you would think that you would be more interested in fighting me then each other? But who am I to judge."

In saying she jumped down just a few feet from Leonardo, she pulled out her sword and held it in front of her. "so Leo, I hear your out looking for some one? Is it some one I know?"

Raphael added in "how do you know we are looking for some one?"

"over heard dumb and dumber over there talking. Said they were looking for some one, could make out who."

Leo wanted to kick him self, Karai had been following them for some time to be hearing that part of the conversation. He couldnt believe he had allowed for her to even sneak up on them.

Karai had an amused look on her face and said "so Leo are you done thinking or do you want me to just attack?"

Leonardo frowned and said "i am not in the mood Karai."

"what a pitty I am."

She attacked Leonardo with her sword, the battle went on for several moments before a scream was heard below on the streets, it was enough to end the fight fast.

Karai noticed her foot soldiers were no longer around her, she followed the turtles to the roofs edge, the five looked down to see a woman being attacked.

Leo shouted "lets move!" the four turtles left Karai standing there and raced to the woman's aid, once on the ground Leonardo took out some of the foot that were holding the woman down.

Raphael took out several as well, Michelangelo and Donatello fought but they didn't have as many as their brothers.

Leonardo looked at the woman who was now laying on the ground, she had long black hair, tan skin and was some what tall maybe around 5 foot 6 or 5 foot 7.

Leo looked into her dark brown eyes and recognized her from some where, he just wasn't sure where.

The woman looked up at Leonardo and froze, afraid to move or speak, after several moments she said "Arigato, Anata ni Nandesuka?" Leo thanked God that Splinter had taught them to speak Japanese, he said to her "Kame." She stared at him for a moment before Leo asked her "Anata wa eigo o hanashimasu ka?"

She frowned, she had not expected for this turtle to speak her language, she said "Hai."

Leo then said "my brothers and I wanted to make sure your ok." the woman looked up at him and said "yes, I am fine. How is it you speak my language?"

Raph came over to stand beside his brother as the woman stood up, "are you not afraid of us? Most humans are."

She smiled kindly and said "why would I fear those who saved my life."

Leo answered her question "our father taught us, look we can't stay here in the open, we technically can't be talking to humans either. Our father would be upset with us."

She asked him "what is your name?" Leo hesitated hearing voices near by then said to her "Leonardo. What's yours?"

Donnie and Mikey stood around her as well, "my name is Tang Shen."

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**Japanese Translations:**

**what are you: Anata ni Nanadesuka**

**turtle: Kame**

**Do you speak English: Anata wa eigo o hanashimasu ka**

**yes: Hai**


	3. Chapter 3

**After The Blaze chapter 3**

**A/N: if there's any more Japanese words the translations will be at the bottom of the chapter.**

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_Three hours before..._

Bradford could not believe who he had just run into, _how am I going to tell this to the master?_ He ran out to his van and got in, gripping the steering wheel till his knuckles were white he put the van in gear and drove to the Foot Headquarters.

Once there he went inside and walked carefully to the main room, he saw Shredder in there and it looked as though he was talking to his daughter. He stood behind Karai and waited for a moment, Shredder noticed him and said "yes Bradford?"

"sorry my lord but I must speak to you in privet, its urgent."

The tall man looked down at his daughter and said "you may go Karai." Karai bowed respectful and left the room.

"what is it?"

Bradford hesitated before saying "she's alive sir."

"who?"

Around the mask Bradford could see that Shredder was frowning, he gulped and said "Tang Shen. She is alive sir... she survived the fire some how."

Shredder stepped closer to Bradford and said with a tone in his voice "how do you know this?"

Chris gulped again and said "well, I was at a hotel waiting to meet some one when this woman came in, she had long black hair, dark brown eyes, she was definitely Asian. I heard her ask the desk clerk about Homato Yoshi. I asked her what her name was and she told me Tang Shen."

Shredder just stood there and stared at Chris Bradford in shock had he not heard it with his own ears he would not have believed it.

_Could Shen still be alive after all these years?_ He spoke again with more venom in his voice "go after her, search the city, I do not want Hamato Yoshi finding her first."

Chris bowed and left the tower, he gathered several men and headed for the hotel where he had last seen her. Chris went up to the desk clerk and asked "is Tang Shen in her room?"

the young woman looked up and said "i will call her room."

several minutes went by and she said "well she is not answering, is she expecting you?"

"no, I am an old friend and I heard she was in town."

"well I will let her know that you stopped by."

"thanks."

Going back outside he said to the Foot Ninjas "OK search the city, she must have gone for a walk, she couldn't have gotten too far."

The ninja's spread out and looked for her, hours went by and they still had not found her. Then out of know where Chris could hear a woman scream running in the direction of the scream he found the turtles had defeated the army and were standing there talking to Tang Shen.

An evil thought came to mind as he strode over to the turtles taking Donatello by the back of the neck he sent the shorter terrapin sailing threw the air and landing in a trashcan, this movement made the others all get into fighting stances.

Leonardo got in front of Tang Shen and said to Chris "what do you want Bradford?" Tang Shen became frightened and hid behind Leonardo, the tall man laughed and said in a booming voice "you have something my master wants, you will hand it over."

they all knew what that meant, and they were not about to allow that to happen, Leonardo pointed his sword in Chris's face as he said "over my dead body."

Smiling evilly he said "that can be arranged."

He pulled out a pair of brass knuckles and put them on and leaped forward, he managed to hit Leonardo on the side of the face. Falling to his brothers feet hard he looked up at Bradford, who got closer to him. Raphael jumped in next and managed to knock the man off his feet, he turned to Tang Shen "run, get out of here."

She nodded and took off around the block, running all the way back to the hotel, once inside her room she locked the door with the deadbolt and chains.

On the street Chris Bradford smiled evilly as he had taken down all four of the turtles, Donatello was knocked out where he had landed before, Raphael was still standing with Michelangelo at his side on the ground out cold. Leonardo had been thrown in a dumpster but a piece of building had fallen on the lid so he was trapped. Raphael watched Bradford closely as the man said to him "i think I will keep you awake so you can give your master a message from Shredder stay away from Tang Shen if you know what's good for you!"

With that Chris ran off into the night.

Raphael put his sias away and let out a breath, running over to the dumpster he shouted "Leo you alright!" After a minute he could hear the echoy reply "I'm fine Raph, just get me out of here!" "I am gonna havta call fer help, there's a piece of concrete on top that's too heavy even for me to lift."

Raph got on his shell cell and called his father _"Splinter, we have an emergency, I need your help." _

"_what is wrong Raphael?" _

"_the others have been knocked out, well two at least Leo is trapped and I cant get him out by my self." _

"_where are you located?" _

Raph looked around for a street sign, _"23/24__th__ street." _

_"i am on my way my son, get your younger brothers to safety until I arrive."_

_ "Hai Sensei."_

Raph picked up his youngest brother and carried him over to the dumpster where Leo was, then crossed the street and picked up Donnie and took him and laid him beside Mikey.

Standing guard he waited for Splinter's arrival.

_Splinter's POV while going to find his sons..._

_Who could have attacked them so? How could my sons have been defeated so badly. Was that fear I could hear in my toughest sons voice?_

Once he reached the surface he searched for the street Raphael had told him, once he found it by the way of the shadows. He saw Raphael standing guard by a dumpster, Splinter knew his red banded son was protective he just never knew how much.

Raph could hear some one coming, he looked over and saw his father, he put his sia's away

"i am glad your here."

together they moved the bit of concrete and freed Leonardo from his dumpster prison. Splinter with the help of his two eldest sons got the two youngest home.

Later that evening Leonardo went to his father's room and saw he was meditating he waited for just the right moment then said "chichi?"

Splinter turned at the sound of his son "yes?"

"i need to speak with you." Leo knelled at his father's feet

Splinter knew when Leonardo did this it was something important and there was something he was ashamed of.

"what troubles you Leonardo?"

Leonardo couldn't meet his fathers eyes, they remained on the floor as he said softly and slowly "we, uh, found Tang Shen... She was being attacked by the Foot Clan..."

Splinter looked at the back of his son's downed head and lifted his sons chin to meet his eyes, "you found her?"

"Hai Sensei... But then we were attacked by Chris Bradford... I ordered her to run away Sensei... I failed to protect her..."

Splinter could see his decision was weighing heavily on him that he ordered her to leave, Splinter put his hands on either shoulder of his son and gently forced him to sit up straight to look at him.

"watashi no musuko, look at me."

Leonardo looked up at his father with tears in his eyes, "Leonardo, she got away yes?"

"Hai Sensei."

"then you did not fail watashi no musuko, you did not fail."

Leonardo looked down at his father's knees and said softly "but I wanted to bring her back here, I wanted you to be happy."

Splinter took one hand and put it under Leonardo's chin and had him look at him again "Leonardo, what makes you think I am unhappy?"

Leonardo could feel emotions raising but he tried to swallow them down, he had to remain strong

"I saw you upset this morning... when Mikey came to talk to you... we both did... the four of us thought if we could bring Tang Shen back then you would be happy."

"Leonardo, she would reject me of how I look now."

"she didn't reject us... Raph asked her why she wasn't scared of us."

"what did she say?"

"why would I be scared of those who saved my life."

Splinter knew by a slim chance that his wife may accept him if she accepted his sons so easily, he told his son "tomorrow if your brothers are feeling better we will all go out and look for her again."

"Hai Sensei."

_at the hotel..._

Tang Shen could not sleep, she had seen those turtles, she knew no one would believe her if she told them that four gain turtles saved her. She knew the sign of the Foot Clan and knew she needed to watch her self, she knew it wasn't Homato Yoshi who was controlling the Foot, it was Oroku Saki was. She did not want to get caught by him. She was lucky tonight thanks to those turtles, but she did watch their fighting style. _Could my Yoshi have taught them that? But how? And when? So many questions._

She stayed in bed and didn't dare move for the rest of the night...

_Foot Headquarters..._

Shredder paced his throne waiting for Bradford to return, when he saw the stocky man enter his chambers he said "and? Was it her?"

"yes my friend it was, but the turtles got in my way, they were talking to her. I injured two of those pests so I know they wont be out again for a while."

Shredder came down to stand directly in front of Bradford and said "you lost her? Well you will get a chance to redeem your self. Next time I go with you, and, you are not to tell Karai anything about this."

_Early the next morning..._

Donatello woke up with a splitting headache, he sat up only to feel hands guide him back down, looking up he saw his father's face come into view

"rest my son, you need to stay down."

Donnie asked in a weak voice "what happened?"

"you were injured last night in a fight, as was Michelangelo. He woke up about an hour ago."

Splinter had the lights off in Donnie's room, the only light was from a candle lit on his desk, his eyes widened

"oh know! What happened to her! What happened to Tang Shen! Oh God is she in trouble!"

"calm your self my son, Leonardo told me she got away, so she should be safe for now. But if Chris Bradford is involved then Shredder knows of her, this puts her in direct danger. Tonight if you and Michelangelo feel up to it, we will go out all five of us and look for her."

Donnie nodded as he felt sleep coming to him again, he dozed off and went to sleep for a majority of the day.

Hours later when it was late evening, Splinter decided that Donatello would stay in the lair as he took the hardest fall and he still was suffering a headache.

Splinter and three of his sons went to the surface, they stayed in the shadows so no one would see them as the sun was setting. Splinter had this feeling he shouldn't have left his son behind, and it was a strong feeling that he had tried to ignore.

_At the hotel..._

Tang Shen sat on her bed staring at the blank TV screen, she kept thinking about the turtles and their fighting style. She knew her husband was here, and she was going to find him no matter where she had to look.

She was pulled from her thoughts as foot steps came from outside her door, suddenly there was a sharp knock. She sat still for a moment, hoping who ever it was would go away.

After several moments some one kicked the door in, she jumped off the bed and got down on the floor trying to hide between the wall and the bed.

"I know that your in here. You had better come on out and show your self, or I will tear this room apart looking for you."

Tang Shen's heart was in her throat, she could feel her self grow pail, she knew that voice... it was Oroku Saki.

She tried to scoot back towards the head of the bed more but she just didnt have any more room to move.

She could hear Saki's heavy footsteps coming closer to the foot of the bed, she tensed when a shadow came over her, she could hear the springs of the bed groan in protest from Saki's weight pushing down on it as he leaned over and said sinisterly

"there you are, trying to hide from me."

She looked up at him with pure fear in her eyes, she was trapped and there was no one around to save her this time. Saki grabbed her arm and yanked her up hard, she cried out in pain as pain shot up threw her shoulder blade.

"No! Let go of me!"

Oroku Saki laughed and said "i did, 15 years ago, I will never let you go again. With Yoshi out of the way I can have you now."

Shen swallowed hard as she tried to fight the tears that threatened to over come her, Saki lead her out of the hotel and out to a white van parked outside. He shoved her in and got behind the wheel and drove to the Foot headquarters, once there he took her down to the dungeon and locked her up.

She tried to hold back the tears as she watched him leave, she just wondered what was going to happen to her next.

She had seen the look of terror in the desk clerks eyes when she was dragged out the front door, she knew that Saki had threatened her not to say a word other then tell him where she was.

Tang Shen sat in the corner of her cell with her knees drawn up to her chest as she let the tears flow freely, she knew she had to remain strong or else she would die at the hands of the enemy.

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**Translations**

**Hai- yes**

**My son- watashi no musuko**


	4. Chapter 4

**After The Blaze Chapter 4**

**A/N: I know I have Tang Shen curs in this chapter, but I wont have her curs hardly at all from here on in. Sorry about the shortness of the chapter.**

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Oroku Saki sat in his thrown room thinking hard about the events of the night before, _oh how I can make Yoshi beg for his wife, he begged for her life 15 years ago, now he can beg for it again. I am just going to have some fun first before I let him even know I have her._ he smiled to him self that Yoshi would never find his wife again. If he even knew she was alive for that matter, but since Chris told him that the turtles were talking to her then that meant that Yoshi knew of her existence and that could only mean one thing, the war was on.

Getting up he went to his privet quarters and changed into different attire, donning black slacks and a black long sleeved sweater, he went to the dungeon and went directly to Shen's cell. He unlocked it and opened the door, he saw her cowering in the corner, he studied her for a moment and then said

"my sweet Tang Shen, it has been so long since I have last seen you. My I think your even more beautiful now then you were then my dear." he began to walk closer to her.

Tang Shen looked up at him and noticed how he was dressed and the look that was on his face, she told him with pure hatred in her voice

"why are you doing this? Why capture me?"

"because that fool Yoshi didn't know a good thing when he had it. He was ignorant, now he doesn't even know your alive."

"i know he is alive you sicko, and I know those turtles were his."

Saki walked even closer to her and knelt down in front of her placing a hand on her arm and said "how do you know?"

"because of their fighting style, I watched them fight for me, I just hope that one in purple is OK..." she said the last part quieter.

"why would you care if those stupid reptiles are OK. or not? They are of no concern of yours, and you say the purple one is injured? Hmmm."

Shredder made a mental note to seek out the purple clad turtle, he ran his hand up her arm further and said "why don't we get reacquainted? It has been 15 years since we last saw each other..."

All she replied to him was "Fuck you! I am married and I know that Yoshi is alive!"

He scowled at her and said "now listen to me, Yoshi is dead! You will never find him, you coming here was in vein so just get that threw your head!"

Standing up he turned to a foot ninja near by and said "go, find that purple turtle, he may be of use to me..."

Tang Shen regretted saying anything about Donatello being injured, she only hoped that he wasn't found...

_Sewer tunnels..._

Splinter had been hesitant about leaving Donatello behind by himself, he knew their home was safe but something was bothering him but he just didnt know what.

Trying to focus on the task at hand he said to his his remaining three sons and said to Leonardo "now do you know where she may be staying?"

Leonardo looked at his father and said "I am not sure Sensei, we didnt have time to ask, she is probably in a hotel some where though."

Nodding Splinter said "OK., take me to where you first saw her."

The four made their way quickly to where the turtles first met Tang Shen, once there Splinter tried to get a sense of where she went.

He closed his eyes and concentrated hard, putting his ears back he could sense she had not gone too far.

"this way my sons."

They went as fast as they could following Shen's scent the entire way, little did Splinter know he had just missed her and that she was now being held captive by the Shredder. Nor did he realize that his second youngest son was being hunted while Splinter was away...

_Not far from the Foot headquarters..._

Bradford lead a small group of soldiers to the manhole cover that was near the headquarters, lifting the cover they went down into the sewers and began searching for the turtle's lair, in hopes to find Donatello...

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**A/N: sorry for such a short chapter, I had a hard time writing it long for some reason. Chapter 5 should make up for it though. **


	5. Chapter 5

**After The Blaze chapter 5**

**A/N: sorry I haven't updated in a while, I actually forgot to upload this chapter! I was about to submit chapter 6! whoops! that's what happens when real life gets in the way of writing. **

**Please Review, its the only way I am gonna know what to work on with this story. Thank you to the people who have reviewed.**

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Donatello was laying down in his bed on Splinter's orders, the young genius still had a massive head ache and got dizzy when ever he moved fast. At first he didn't think he had a concussion but now he wasnt so sure.

Suddenly an alarm sounded, he got up, despite the splitting headache and the dizziness he went as fast as he could to his lab. He saw that a motion sensor had been set off, he looked up at his monitors and didn't see anything or one there.

"huh... that's odd, maybe it was just a rat or something?" he said to him self

He turned to go back to bed when a sound caught his ears, footsteps and they were close. He looked out the lab doors and saw foot ninja's coming in the entrance to the lair, he swallowed hard. _So not good, where should I hide?_ Donnie silently closed the lab door as the ninja came closer, he knew where there was one there were more right behind.

He went around his lab to the adjoin door that lead to the dojo, he opened it up slowly but stopped when the lab door slid open. He gulped and went into the dojo silently, he knew if he made it to the tree he could climb it and hide in its branches and call for help from his T-Phone.

Once he was at the base of the tree he could hear a voice just outside the dojo door that went to the living room

"search this place high and low, that turtle has to be here. This is the only place that could be the lair of the turtles and Homato Yoshi."

Donatello gulped again and began to climb the tree, he knew he would not win in a fight against Bradford, he knew he would loose.

The dizziness intensified the higher he got into the tree, just as he got to a high branch the doors opened and non other then Bradford came strolling in.

calling out mockingly "oh turtle... I know that your in here... come out come out where ever you are..."

Donatello stayed right where he was.

Chris Bradford knew the turtle was in there, he could sence him, he looked up into the tree and said "turtle you had better show your self, I know that you are in here."

Donnie reached back for his bo then cursed him self, he had left it in his room, if only he could make it to the weapons rack. But first, he pulled out his T-Phone and scrolled down to Splinter's name and pressed the panic button on the screen. Then he sent a text _'Splinter, the foot found the lair... I am in the dojo... please hurry back.'_

Chris Bradford walked over to the weapons rack and picked up a large wooden sword and said "huh, wonder why the rat would have this thing?" he walked over to the tree and held it like a javelin and sent it flying, it managed to hit Donatello square in the back of the shell. The young turtle went falling to the ground, his head was screaming in pain as he laid there on the mat. He tried to push himself up but it was no use, he hit his head and he now knew he had a concussion, his world went black.

_On the surface..._

Splinter's T-Phone started buzzing, he pulled it out of his pocket and saw it was from Donatello "boys wait!" Leo, Raph and Mikey turned back and Leo asked "what's the matter?"

"what does the red flashing lights mean on this thing?"

Leonardo walked over to his father and looked at the phone "its the panic button! Donnie's in trouble!"

The three brothers started to go towards a manhole cover near by but were stopped "no! Wait, I will go after your brother, you must continue on."

Leo nodded understanding as he shouted "come on lets go!" they disappeared into the night, Splinter lifted the cover and went down into the sewers, he ran fast as he came near the lair he his blood ran cold when he saw his son's bandana laying on the floor with blood on it.

Splinter went into the lair and said "Donatello!"

nothing no reply "Donatello? Are you here?"

Splinter walked around the lair, with each step his heart sank in his chest, his son had been taken by the Shredder, he knew nothing good would come of this.

Just then his T-Phone went off, he pulled it out and answered it_ "hello?"_

"_Sensie, they got her... The foot... we are at the hotel and the desk clerk said that some man in a metal mask came in about two hours ago and took her with him."_

Closing his eyes and pressing his ears back against his head he said softly _"thank you Leonardo, please return home and abort your mission... We need a new plan..." _

"_is something wrong Sensei?" _

"_just return home my son."_

Splinter didn't have the heart to tell his son over the phone that his younger brother had been captured...

_Foot Headquarters..._

Donatello felt like his world was spinning as he attempted to open his eyes, his head hurt so bad that even the dim light was too much. His head still hurt badly and he could feel that he was chained up, he could hear talking but couldnt make out the words.

Shredder looked down at his captured turtle, he could see that he was coming too just a little, looking over at Bradford he said "what use to me is he when you knocked him out!"

Chris tried to defend him self "the freak fell out of the damn tree and landed on his head, he did it him self."

"I seriously doubt that he would self inflict wounds, he had to have been pushed he is a trained ninja after all. And I recall you telling me he was already injured, so if he doesnt come out of this, I am coming after you! Now leave my sight!"

It took another two hours before Donatello finally came too, he looked around wearily at his surroundings, he muttered softly "oh sewer apples..."

he realized he was behind enemy lines, he looked up and saw Shredder him self standing over him, he gulped even though his mouth felt dry.

Shredder looked down at the now awake turtle and said "so finally decided to join us?"

Donatello looked up and said trying to keep a steady voice "what do you want with me?"

Walking closer to the frightened turtle he said in a hateful voice "Homato Yoshi, you are going to play a pawn in my plans to lure him out, you see that woman you were talking to yesterday. That was Tang Shen, his wife... now she doesnt know he is alive much less a rat... but now vengeance is mine, and I dont plan on letting either of you out of here alive."

Donnie tried to keep his voice calm as he said "she accepted us, I know she will accept Splinter!"

Raising his hand he back handed Donatello hard, the tall mutant fell sideways but with his hands bound he couldnt catch him self. Shredder loomed over him and said "she may for now! But she will reject you! You are nothing but a freak of nature!"

Donnie spit the blood that was in his mouth and said heatedly "really? Then why do you wear a mask? Do you have something to hide?"

Moving forward to hit him again Chris said to Shredder "i thought you wanted him alive? And unharmed?"

Shredder looked up and said "why defend him?"

"i am not defending him, I just think he will be more useful to us alive and not knocked out. This is the brains of the turtles, he may be more useful then you realize."

Donatello tried to turn around to looked at Chris but he couldn't due to being tied up, Shredder grabbed ahold of Donatello's shell and hoisted the creäture up and said "really? So what is your specialty turtle?"

Donnie almost didn't dare speak but a quick shake of his body and he said "i uh... build things and create inventions."

"any good with science?"

Donnie paused again, not sure how much information to actually give out, when Shredder took his gauntlet and put it directly under Donnie's chin

"yes... I know science."

Shredder told Donatello sinasterly "then you will be of use to me after all."

Still holding Donatello he walked out of his chambers and down to the dungeons, he opened up a door and threw the turtle in, he walked over an sliced the chains that bound him and Shredder told him "you will stay here until I see fit that you can leave."

Donnie summed up his courage and asked "where is Tang Shen?"

Donatello could feel his head begin to spin again as the adrenalin was fading from his body, Shredder gave him a menacing look and said "you will know in due time Kame!"

Shredder's shouting was not helping the headache that was coming back again, he tried to look past Shredder at surrounding cells but he wouldn't allow him too. He knew that Tang Shen was near by but he just wasnt sure where.

Just then he could hear the sound of a robot coming their way.

**(A/N: I don't understand half of what 2012 Krang says but I will do my best.)**

"the one known as Shredder, your presence is requested at the place that is known as the throne room."

Shredder looked over at Krang and told him "ok, stand here and guard the turtle."

Krang was silent for a moment before saying in its weird monologue "Krang will do as the one known as Shredder requests and guard the one known as the turtle, while you go to the place that is requested of Shredder."

Donatello's head was not feeling any better listening to Krang talk in their strange monologue, he missed his family, but he knew that it may be up to him to get Tang Shen out of the Foot Headquarters.

Shredder turned back to Donnie and asked "so what turtle are you?"

Donnie gulped and said "D-Donatello."

"your good with chemicals right?"

"uh... sort of... according to Raph the only thing I'm good at is blowing things up..."

"this another one of those freaks?"

"yea." he didn't want to realy answer that one, he didn't think of him self as a freak or his family for that matter.

"don't do anything funny Donatello, or else..." Leaving it at that he left the cell and slammed the door shut.

Donatello flinched at the sound of the metal door clanging shut, he sat down in the corner and tried to ease his headache.

_In the lair..._

Splinter walked around the dojo picking up the weapons that had fallen in the fight, he saw Donatello's shell cell on the floor and picked it up. He noticed that his son had started to send him a second message: _Sensie, I am sorry I failed... they got..._

That was all that was typed, Splinter put his ears back as he worried over his missing son.

He could hear the return of his remaining three and went to greet them, the look on his face was all Leonardo needed when he said "they got him didn't they father? They got him?"

Hanging his head he said to his eldest son miserably "yes, we need to think of a plan of action."

Raphael walked up beside Leo and said hotly "what we need to do is go kick their sorry butts for messing with our family!"

"Raphael, control your anger my son, I am angry too but we need to think of a plan. To act with out thinking things through could endanger two lives at this point."

Mikey looked up at his father and asked "I though you told me and Donnie it was good to fight with out thinking?"

sighing Splinter told him "that was about that particular battle my son."

Mikey nodded his understanding as they gathered in the living room to decide on a plan of action.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**A/N: Hey guys hope your liking this story. Haven't gotten too many results that is why I have not updated for a while. Please review, this way I know what I need to do to make this better.**

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Tang Shen stood up and looked out the small window of her cell door, she could see no one around, she just knew those turtles belonged to her husband. Which meant he was still alive, and was sure enough in New York. She had heard Saki say that he had captured Donatello, she just hoped he was OK.

It had been a while since Shredder had left him, but Donatello stood up, he noticed how the Krang droid seemed hell bent on staying so close to the door. The Krang looked over at him and asked in his confusing monologue "what is it the one known as the turtle, is doing?"

Donnie looked annoyed at the droid and asked "why do you speak like that?"

Krang looked at him and replied "what is it you ask this question of Krang?"

"well you sure don't hear any of us talk like that."

Donnie tried to go to the door but Krang put his blaster up to his back.

"the one known as the turtle will not be approaching the place known as 'the door' that is to be guarded by the one known as Krang."

Donatello shook his head as another wave of dizziness hit him, this Krang talk was hurting his head something fierce.

He sat back against the wall and drew his knees up to his chest, he figured he would sit and think of a plan to trick this stupid droid in stepping away so he could look out.

Suddenly he could hear footsteps returning, Krang stepped aside as Shredder re entered the cell.

"Donatello, you are to follow me, any attempts at trying to escape and Tang Shen's life will end. Do I make my self clear?"

Donatello asked him daringly "your not gonna restrain me?"

Shredder walked closer to the now standing turtle "are you going to give me a reason to?"

Donnie gulped and shook his head no, Shredder motioned for Donnie to follow him.

After they left the dongeon Donnie spoke up tentatively "what are you going to do with me?"

Shredder turned around causing Donatello and the Krang to stop walking as well.

"That is non of your concern at the moment Kame, you will find out soon enough what I have in store for you."

Shredder continued walking with Donatello following behind, he knew that Krang had to follow, but he wished his brothers would hurry.

Once they reached the throne room Shredder climbed the stairs and sat on his throne, Krang and Donnie waited and Shredder finally spoke.

"Kame, do you know where Homato Yoshi is at this very moment?"

Donnie swallowed hard, he really didn't know, he told Shredder honestly "i don't know... he was with my brothers on the surface."

Shredder stared at him for a moment then said to him "are you sure of this?"

"Hai, the last time I knew. I dont know if they even know if I am missing."

Just then Fishface came in and said loudly "Master, we just got report that the turtles and their master have gone back below ground. I sent footbots down to find them."

Donnie took in a sharp breath and turned back to Shredder who looked down at him with menacing eyes.

"Xevor, lead a team to cover every manhole cover and sewer grate in a ten block radius from where you saw the turtles go into. We will get them one way or another, and also, send a message to Yoshi that if he doesn't meet my demands that he will never see his son again..."

Donnie gulped at these words.

Xevor bowed and then said.

"what are your demands?"

Shredder stood once again and came down the stairs to stand directly over the shorter figure of Donatello before answering.

"he will turn him self over to me, in exchange that I wont kill his wife and son. He is to come alone and not bring those remaining freaks with him. He is to fight me, man to freak. I will give him more details when he arrives."

Donnie felt himself tremble slightly at the sound of that, he felt raw fear growing inside of him.

Xevor bowed again and said.

"Yes sir, I will deliver the message."

Donatello looked up at Shredder who was looking down directly at him.

"Listen Kame, you are not my target, Bradford just happened to find you and decided to bring you here. But now I can use you as bate, no harm will befall you unless you enforce it. You will stay in the dungeon until such time I see fit to bring you out."

Donnie frowned and asked carefully "why did you bring me out then? Just to hear what you plan to do to my father?"

Shredder laughed and said to him "you are in deed the smart one of the group aren't you? See here Kame, Homato Yoshi took something from me years ago, now I have taken it back. As well as part of his family."

Donnie narrowed his eyes and asked "oh and who would the other part be other then me and Tang Shen?"

"Miwa... as he called her back then."

Donnie's eyes grew wide, he knew that name well, before he could say anything Kari entered the room.

"Father, I have news. Xevor found one of the turtles, the orange one, he came up top with out the others knowing he escaped."

Shredder grinned behind his mask and asked "what is happening right now?"

"they are fighting right now, and he is not winning."

"dont destroy him, bring him to me alive."

Donatello felt his eyes grow wide, they were going to capture Mikey!

Donnie stepped forward and said "no don't!" Karai looked back at him and Shredder turned his attention back to the purple clad turtle.

Donnie gulped as Shredder raised a hand back and said to him menacingly "why do you speak when I have not spoken to you?"

Donnie felt his voice waver slightly as he said "w-well, y-you already have me... Why cause... more trouble for your self? Besides I thought it was Leo you wanted and my father?"

Shredder raised his eye brow and said to the shorter being "Karai, bring me the turtle, and make sure no harm befalls him on your jurny back. As for you Donatello, you watch your self, Krang take the turtle back to his cell... and prepare for our second guest."

_in the sewers 25 minutes earlier..._

Splinter, Leonardo and Raphael were going over the plan to free Donatello and Tang Shen. Michelangelo didnt understand what they were saying so he just stood off to the side pretending he knew what was going on.

But what he did understand was when his father said they were going to carry their plan out the following night, Mikey decided to act on his own accord and took off into the sewers on his own, he wanted his older brother and best friend back, and if the others were not going to do something then he was.

It took a few minutes but Raph looked up and said "aww Shell! MIKEY!"

Leo and Splinter both looked around for the youngest turtle, "where did he go?"

Raph looked over at his oldest brother and said "Shell if I know, he must have gotten the idea that we didn't wanna find Donnie! Lets go get him!"

As the two eldest got to the door Splinter shouted to them "Stop, it may be a trap."

"with all due respect Sensei, Mikey didn't get a call from Shredder to leave the lair he left on his own."

"then I will go with you, there is too much at stake."

As they ran to Mikey's aid, they had no idea what they were in store for, and what will happen to Mikey if the foot does get their hands on him?


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

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Michelangelo could see he was way out numbered, foot soldiers were surounding him from all sides. He saw another figure apear and jump down infront of the soldiers.

"i have orders to bring him back to father... unharmed."

Mikey looked over at Karai and then watched as more foot soldiers appeared, he knew his odds... if he tried to fight them he would loose with out question and he was already drained as it was from fighting.

Karai looked down at the smallest turtle and noticed the battle going on in his head, then what surprised her more then anything was he dropped his weapons.

Two foot soldiers grabbed him and bound his hands, Karai saw the humiliated look in the youngest turtles eyes. She led them all back to the truck, she watched as her soldiers climbed in, just as one was about to load Michelangelo Karai said sharply.

"wait, Michelangelo, where are the other turtles?"

Mikey looked up at her and told her.

"they dont know I am gone... well they might know now... enough times passed."

She nodded and let the foot load the turtle into the van, after the van took off she stayed behind in the shadows.

After about an hour went by she could hear the scrape of metal against concreate, she could hear Leonardo's voice talking to Raphael.

She leaped out of the shadows and watched as the two brothers got into a defencive stance.

"easy there Leonardo, I am not here to fight you."

Raph looked at her with pure anger in his eyes and said to her with pure venom in his voice.

"What have you done with my brothers? Where is Mikey and Donnie? What did you do with them?"

Karai put her sword away and told the hot headed turtle.

"i have done nothing, its my father's doing. Look if you want them back then I dare you to come to the foot headquarters."

After saying this she leaped out of sight.

Leonardo and Raphael looked at eachother puzzled before going back to the sewers.

_Back at the foot headquarters..._

Tang Shen stood up and looked out the bars of the cell door, she saw a figure across the way from her, she could make out a shell and knew it was one of the turtles. She spoke softly enough not to get Krang's attention.

"hello? Turtle?"

The lone figure looked around at who spoke, he noticed Tang Shen looking at him and he said.

"I'm Mikey... have you seen my older brother? And who are you?"

She smiled at him and said.

"I am Tang Shen, we meet before remember? Before the fight? And know I have not seen your brother since they took him to the throne room. His cell is farther away from me."

Michelangelo was silent for a moment and then said.

"you must know my Sensei then."

She frowned and asked.

"why do you say that?"

"well... um... he is well... or was... Homato Yoshi... he took in my brothers and me 15 years ago... after a fire took his family away from him in Japan."

She could see the far away look in his eyes and asked him softly.

"are you alright?"

He was greatful that she was far enough away she could not see his tears.

"i miss my family... and I know Sensei will be angry with me..."

"why?"

"because I snuck out... I am the smallest of all four of us... Splinter gets mad when Raph runs out, but its different with me because I am the youngest of us all... he treats me like a little kid most of the time."

"why do you call him Splinter?"

Mikey looked down and realized his mistake.

"he has a new identity now... Master Splinter isnt human..."

Before Tang Shen could reply Shredder marched in with Donatello, opening Mikey's cell door he told them as he threw Donatello inside knocking Mikey who stood up down.

"now that I have two of you... I know Splinter will come. It will be one big family reunion that I know no one wants to miss."

He turned to Tang Shen.

"and as for you, you will know how it felt so long ago to be betrayed! How could you choose him! He lost your daughter! Now he will loose his sons and you will get to witness it!"

Donatello stood at the doorway to the cell, Shredder had yet to close the door. He watched the exchange he looked down at Mikey who stood next to him.

Shredder turned and saw the two, he told them ruffly.

"Get back in there! You will not attempt to escape!"

He pushed Donatello back causing the taller turtle to fall to the ground, Michelangelo stood his ground and said bravely.

"dont push my brother around like that!"

Shredder back handed the smaller turtle causing him to fall back.

"Leave them alone Saki! They are just kids! It is really me you want not them!"

Shredder slammed the cell door shut and turned around, walking over to Tang Shen he said to her heatedly.

"on the contrary I am after Homato Yoshi. These two turtles are the key to bringing him here, with just one turtle the other three would come alone... but with two... they will come with Yoshi."

Donatello held Mikey as they watched the exchange in silence.

With out another word Shredder left the three alone.

Tang Shen looked back to the two young teenagers and said.

"are you ok Michelangelo?"

Mikey looked up at his brother then back to her.

"yea, I am fine... its no worse then when Raph beats the snot out of me when I make him mad."

"Technicaly Mikey its worse here... you tick Shredder off you would be better off making Raph mad and having him 'beat the green off of you' as he puts it."

Tang Shen watched them for a moment and then asked.

"who is Splinter? You were starting to tell me Michelangelo?"

Mikey felt Donatello tense up but he continued...

"Master Splinter was once Homato Yoshi... that was until..."

Mikey stopped there, he didnt know if he should go much further.

"Tell me Michelangelo, please."

Donnie continued for his brother.

"He um... was hit by some mutagen... he probably would have looked like us if it wasnt for a rat that ran across his foot."

Shen frowned for a minute and tried to put the puzzel pieces to gether.

"so the mutagen caused him to turn into a rat?"

she saw both boys nodd their heads saddly.

"so you were just normal turtles to begin with?"

Donnie told her. "yes, we were just baby turtles swimming around in a glass jar when it happened... he dropped us when he transformed... he changed first... then we landed in the stuff too and it made us change as well. He told us countless times that he had just bought us at a pet store when it all went down in an ally near the pet shop."

"are you all blood related brothers?"

Donnie looked down at his little brother and said saddly.

" I really dont know. Its likley that just two of us are or none of us, Master Splinter told me one time that he thought that Raph and Leo could be blood brothers since they both have the same temperment but we really dont know with out having blood tests done. And I really dont want to know... he raised us as brothers. I know they say 'bloods thicker then water' but, that doesnt change who we are. I wouldnt trade my brothers for the world."

Shen could see how much family ment to this young teenager, she could hear footsteps again and looked the best she could over to her right. She saw nothing but heard the footsteps.

Suddenly Shredder came back into view.

"so Tang Shen, your getting close to these freaks are you? We will see about that, now all of you shut up!"

He unlocked Tang Shen's cell and grabed her by the arm and dragged her out of the cell, she fought against his steel grip and said.

"Let go of me!"

"Let go of her!"

Shredder looked over and saw Donatello up against the bars with a furious look on his face.

Taking her with him Shredder walked over to the purple clad turtle.

"watch your self Kame! Or you will be next!"

"i would rather take her place Shred Head!"

"NO! Donatello!"

Oroko Saki looked down at the purple clad turtle, he told him hottly.

"you are Homato Yoshi's son aren't you? Brave and stupid. I will deal with you later."

He dragged her out of sight, Donatello bowed his head and turned around. He could see his little brother currled up in the corner with his shell against the wall and his knees drawn up to his plastron. Walking over Donnie squatted down infront of him.

"Mikey? Are you ok?"

Mikey looked up with tears in his eyes and said softly.

"i was just trying to be brave like Raph... and now its gotten her in trouble..."

Donnie put a hand on his little brother's shoulder and said softly but firmly to him.

"Mikey, you were brave, it takes a lot of guts to stand up to Shredder and I know you have that inside of you."

"you really think so?"

Giving his little brother a warm smile he said.

"Yes I do."

_In the sewers..._

Splinter stood before his sons as they told of what happened on the surface, he stroked his long beard as he listened to Leonardo telling him how everything went down. He watched his eldest son lower his head in shame of loosing their youngest brother.

"Leonardo, it is not your fault you lost him, as a family and a team we will get them all back. Come let us go, I sence they are in grave danger the longer they stay at the headquarters."

The journy to the foot headquarters was a quiet one as Leonardo called April and asked her to meet them there.

Once on the surface Splinter and his two remaining sons stelthly went through the ally ways and up to the roof tops.

It took them about fifteen minutes to run on rooftops before they reached their destination, once there they met up with April. Leonardo saw her first and ran up to her.

"Have you seen any one go in or out?"

April looked around the deserted street and said quickly.

"No, but that doesnt mean that they are not here, what do you want me to do?"

Splinter sighed and told her.

"Wait over by the dumpster around the corner, there is a sewer entrance inside, Raphael and Leonardo go through there and find your brothers. Once you find them meet up with April, I am going after Tang Shen."

Raphael asked his father.

"Do you want us to come help you?"

Splinter shook his head and told him.

"No my son, you must get your brothers below ground, that is your main goal, I must rescue Tang Shen. Alone."

Raph nodded in response and followed the other two to the sewer entrance.

Splinter watched them leave and then moved quickly and silently to the tall, dark building, he took out two foot ninjas by the front door before slipping inside and going down a hall way.

He wasnt sure where Shredder main room was but he was determained to find out, going from one room to the next taking out any foot ninja's that he happened to come across and continued.

After several moments of searching he could hear a woman scream, he rushed to the sound, he found the large, wide open room that was Shredder's throne room.

And what he saw infuriated him, Shredder was standing over his beloved wife, a dark bruise was forming on the side of her face as Shredder said to her.

"You will learn to respect me! Those rechid Kame's are not worth loosing your life over! I will finish what I started so many years ago if its the last thing I do!"

Splinter saw red as Shredder raised his hand again to Tang Shen, leaping forward Splinter took Shredder by surprise by knocking him off of his feet.

Landing before Tang Shen he said.

"Shredder! You leave her alone!"

His thick Japanese accent showed as he spoke.

Shredder spoke as he stood back up.

"So the famous Splinter finaly shows him self? Well is that not the most perfect thing. And where are your students? To frightened to come out?"

Splinter stood protectivly infront of his wife as he said threateningly.

"My sons are on a mission, but as for you and I, we will finish this fight! You stole my family so many years ago now I want them back!"

Tang Shen watched the large cloaked figure standing in front of her, she noticed the long tail that was laying next to her, she knew this had to be the turtles father they told her about. It was her husband Homato Yoshi.

Her hands were tied behind her back as she sat on her knees behind Splinter, looking up at the two with tear filled eyes she remained silent as Shredder said.

"So you want a fight? Then lets duel, if I win then she remains here, along with your sons... and she along with them watch you die!"

Splinter glanced back at Tang Shen, his hood was still up so she didnt see his face but he knew she had seen his tail, he had tried to keep it hidden but it at times has a mind of its own. Turning back to Shredder he said to him.

"Fine, but I know I will win, and when I do they all go free."

Tang Shen shifted as she felt the fight getting ready to start, one of the foot ninja's came over and moved her out of the way as the two enemies faced eachother and got ready to combat.

Meanwhile down in the deongon Leo and Raph slipped through the sewer entrance to where Shredder was holding Donatello and Michelangelo. Leo had his swords ready as they emerged from the water, both dripping water on the ground they crept along the shadows as they searched for their two younger brothers.

Leonardo looked over at his younger brother and told him softly.

"Ok, you look left I look right ok?"

Raphael nodded his understanding and went about looking for his two little brothers. After going row by row they finally found one that had a guard. Leo whispered to his younger brother.

"Shredder doesnt take many prisoners does he?"

Raph looked back at him and replied.

"Sure dont seem that way, so why does he have all of these cells if he aint gonna keep prisoners in them?"

Leo shrugged and held his swords out infront of him, he redied him self for the fight coming with the Krang guard that was there.

"OK lets move!"

Krang heard the turtles coming and said.

"It is the ones known as 'the turtles' you must stop. For the one known as Shredder has given instructions..."

He didnt finish as Raphael had sent his sia into the robots head, permenatly shutting the annoying creature up.

Leonardo stepped on the tenticals of the little pink alien that emerged panic stricken from the robot.

"Where do you think your going?"

Taking his sword he pointed it at the creature stopping it in its tracks. Raphael bent down and picked the annoying little alien up and threw it into the cage near by. Taking out his sai he picked the lock. Once the door was open it revieled two very scared little brothers.

Donnie blinked a couple of times and said.

"Leo? Raph? How did you get in here?" Raph put a finger to his mouth and said quietly.

"Shh, come on we gotta go help Sensei."

Leo took his hot headed brother by the shoulder and said sharply.

"No, our orders were to get Mike and Don and meet up with April."

Raph spun around and said hottly.

"Leo, go ahead and leave, but I am not leaving our father behind! Get them out of here, I will go help our father."

Donnie sighed and said.

"Please guys this is no time for a fight. Lets just go."

Raph looked between his brothers before following Leo back to the sewer entrance. Once his brothers were underwater Raph turned on his heals and ran for the stairs. He knew it wouldnt take long for Leonardo to figure out what he was up to. And he did not want to get caught.

Just as he got to the second floor landing he ran into a familiar figure that has plegued his family for the last few months, Karai...

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**A/N: I am evil... but what can I say I am having too much fun... Please Review, I thrive more on Reviews.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

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Raphael froze when he saw Karai, she looked at him and said slyly.

"So, you are gutsy enough to show up huh? And I see your by your self? Where's Leonardo? Did he abandon you?"

Raph frowned and said.

"No, now out of my way Karai!"

She pulled her sword out and held it in front of her and got in a fighting stance.

"Not a chance Raphael, you want past me, then you have to fight me first."

Raph pulled out his weapons and said hotly to her.

"I ain't in the mood Karai! Now stand down! And get outta my way!"

She lunged at him with her sword and he blocked with his sia, the battle raged for several moments before Raph stopped fighting nicely and kicked her legs out from under her. She didnt expect that move and went flying onto her back with Raphael's sia to her throat.

"Now, I said, leave me alone Karai."

Using a smoke bomb he disappeared before her eyes and raced up the stone steps, he heard Shredder make the deal with Splinter. He peaked around the corner and saw his father standing in front of Shredder. He knew this was going to be one hell of a battle.

Off to the side he saw Tang Shen, he studied her position in the room and found a stealth way of reaching her. Going closer he reached her and whispered in her ear.

"Follow me and remain silent."

Before they got too far a foot soldier grabbed Raphael and Tang Shen, keeping Tang Shen still she said.

"Let us go! Let him go!"

Raphael struggled against the Foot bot and said sharply.

"Get off me!"

Suddenly he noticed how silent the room became, he could hear two sounds, one heavy footsteps walking quickly his direction and two his father's cries to him.

"Raphael! No!"

Raphael saw Shredder approach and he gulped loudly. Shredder walked over to him and said sinisterly.

"Well what do we have here? Little Kame has decided to join the fight has he?"

Raph looked up at the tall human and said.

"Just let us go!"

Shredder put one of his mettle claws under Raph's throat and said.

"Not a chance Kame. You will watch Homato Yoshi fall! Then you will be next!"

Splinter took this moment to go against everything he had ever been taught and attacked Shredder while his back was turned. Shredder turned around and tried to swipe Splinter's legs out from under him, but the rat was just too quick.

"Your just as quick as your little orange Kame is!"

Splinter ignored the comparison and continued the fight.

From where Raphael was standing he could see his father was winning.

Raphael noticed the foot bot that held his arms behind him had loosened his hold, taking the opportunity he freed him self and jabbed his sia in the bots head. Then he continued to fight the other foot that attacked him.

Shredder noticed the freed turtle and focused on Splinter, he knew the turtle was too busy to pay attention to his fight.

Raphael managed to get to Tang Shen again and freed her. He felt torn, he wanted to go save his father but he wanted to get Shen out of there. In a split second decision he escaped with Tang Shen out of the throne room. Once they got outside to the ally Raph noticed the shell raiser was gone, they hid behind a dumpster.

Tang Shen was breathing hard when she said.

"I will stay here, go save your father."

Raph froze and said.,

"I cant just leave you here. Besides I am too outnumbered."

A voice at the top of the ally spoke next.

"That has never stopped you in the past Raph."

Spinning around he saw Leonardo standing there.

"I thought you guys left me?"

Leo walked towards them and said.

"No, I sent Donnie and Mikey home, I was about to go inside when I heard you talking down in the ally."

Tang Shen saw the wisdom in the young turtle and said.

"You must both go save your father, he is going to need you now that we have gotten free."

Leo looked at her questioningly and asked.

"We cant just leave you here?"

Just then they could hear a rumble in the distance as the Shell raiser returned, it remained on as Mikey jumped out.

"She can come with us bro. Donnie didnt wanna leave knowing Raph was still in side the headquarters."

Leo gave his brother a grateful look as Tang Shen went to the Shell raiser.

Just as Mikey was about to follow he said.

"Oh yea and Donnie is leaving a parting gift so that the battle will end sooner."

Leo frowned and said.

"What's that?"

The doors opened again and out came the very noisy Metelhead.

Raph and Leo looked at the annoying little robot but knew that the little metal turtle would come in handy.

The two and a half turtles went back inside, using stealth they followed Raph's directions of how he went to and from the throne room.

They didnt pass by any of the foot members as they made their way up the hall, Raph was surprised that Karai didnt follow him when he had fought her earlier.

Leo peaked into the throne room and saw a wall of foot soldiers standing around watching the fight. He was surprised that no one had heard Metal head walking around in the hall.

Leo motioned for Metal head to stay put as he and Raphael entered the room, both brothers could hear the fighting through the wall of foot soldiers. They flipped over the mass of soldiers and landed just beyond the fight.

Shredder spun around just as Leonardo shouted.

"Let him go Shredder!"

Shredder told the two brothers.

"So Raphael, you brought a brother to watch your father's demise?"

They looked past Shredder to their father who was struggling to get back up after falling, Leo could see the mass amount of injuries that covered Splinter's body. His kimono was torn in places along with blood coming from several of the wounds.

Before anyone could move a shot could be heard and a flying hand sailed across the room and hit Shredder in the back of the helmet knocking him into the crowd. Raph kicked Shredder in the chest knocking him backwards as Meatel head's flying hand came back and hit Shredder again this time knocking him out.

Metal head sent several fire balls sailing in the air causing a wave of panic among the soldiers, they left their leader and master in the hands of the turtles as they got out of the way of the flame throwing robot.

Raph and Leo ran to Splinter's side and both spoke at once.

"Father!"

"Splinter!"

Splinter sat up slowly and looked at his two eldest sons speaking weakly.

"Where are your brothers and Tang Shen?"

As the two helped him up Leo told him.

"Back at the lair, Donnie left Metal head behind to help us out."

Splinter stood up with his sons help, he looked over to Metal head who was standing before them its mouth opened and Donnie's voice came through.

"Hi Sensei! I am two blocks away in the Shell raiser. Mikey is in the lair with Tang Shen."

Splinter had to put his hands over his ears with how loud the loud speaker was on Metal head. But he told his brightest son.

"Thank you my son, we will meet you out front."

With Shredder out cold the four were able to make it to the front of the building with out any trouble. Just as Raph opened the door Karai jumped down in front of him.

"And your going where Raphael?"

Leo looked annoyed at her and then turned to Metal head.

"Donnie, a little help please."

Karai's eyes went wide when she saw the little metal turtle step forward and aim his arm at her. She prepared to move but not fast enough when the hand shot out and pushed her out the door and she flew past the on coming sight of the shell raiser.

With a mechanical sound coming from the robot the hand came back and connected back to the robot as the group went to the vehicle and got in.

_Back at the lair..._

Tang Shen was standing by the lair entrance waiting for the others to return, she looked over at the orange banded turtle and asked.

"Do you think they are alright?"

Mikey looked over at her from the pinball machine and told her.

"Oh yea, totally, they have metal head with them. They will be back soon."

Another fifteen minutes went by and the sound of a truck could be heard from the garage area Mikey perked up and said happily.

"Their back! Come on lets go greet them!"

The two went to the location of where the truck was being parked. To Shen's surprise Raphael and Leonardo were doing their best to support their father who was at least a foot and a half taller then them.

Racing forward to help she put an arm around him and put his right arm around her shoulder she said in a concerned tone.

"Are you alright?"

The trio helped Splinter to the couch and sat him down.

"I will be fine, just need to rest."

Splinter slumped over and fell unconscious on the couch.

A chorus of names rang our from every one.

"Father!"

"Splinter!"

"Sensei!

"Master Splinter!"

"Yoshi!"

All five rushed to his side as he slumped onto the back of the couch, Donatello rushed forward and checked his pulse.

"Its slow but steady, he must really have taken a beating. Come on guys help me lay him out flat."

Tang Shen watched in awe at the gentleness the turtles showed the large rat as they carefully laid him out on the couch.

Mikey gasped and said.

"He's laying on his tail guys."

Leo and Raph rolled him towards the back of the couch while Mikey grabbed his tail and pulled it out of its kinked position and draped it over the edge of the couch. Donatello came back with a quilt from Splinter's room, Leo took his father's hands and folded them across his chest carefully.

Donnie put the blanket over their father and checked the wounds on his arms and neck.

"These look deep, I... I don't know how to do stitches yet... He never showed me..."

A soft hand rested upon his shoulder and the tallest turtle looked up at Tang Shen standing beside him.

"I know how Donatello, go get the first aid kit, the rest of you get some clean wash cloths and a bucket of warm water. These wounds need to be cleaned out."

They bowed to her and took off.

While they were gone she looked him over, she ran a head along the top of his head and said to his sleeping form.

"Sleep now Yoshi, I will care for your sons while you rest."

The four turtles came back with the requested items in hand, Leonardo even had a pillow for Splinter's head.

She sang while she worked getting his battered body cleaned up and repaired, she had the turtles help remove the kimono and asked them.

"Does he have a spare kimono?"

Donnie nodded and said.

"Hai, I will go get it."

Donatello went to his father's room and saw the cloths rack hanging up, he took a maroon kimono off the hanger and folded it over his arm and raced back out to the living area. She once again had them help dress him but left the front open.

Looking up at the turtles she said softly.

"He has wounds on his hips and thighs, I will need you four to go into the other room while I dress those ones."

Mikey looked confused and asked.

"Why? We are all boys here? Besides you."

Tang Shen saw Raphael raise his hand to Mikey and said.

"No Raphael, do NOT hit him, I will NOT put up with senseless violence. Michelangelo privacy is needed with this, he will be exposed and I am sure he will not want his children to see his privet areas. I am his wife so it does not matter."

She noticed he didnt look as confused and he said.

"OK, come on guys."

The older turtles looked surprised at their youngest brother but followed him to the dojo.

Tang Shen turned her attention back to Splinter and said to him softly.

"Yoshi, I need to do some work on you, I know you can hear me."

She pulled the quilt back from his lower region and began stitching him up, she noticed while stitching his thigh that his tail twitched.

"I am sorry if that hurt, I am trying to be gentle."

She sang to him again while she worked, it seemed to make him relax. After she was done she covered him up with his kimono and tied the sash around his waist. She pulled the quilt back over him and went to the dojo to talk to the turtles.

She found them sitting under the tree, they looked up at her when she walked in.

"Boys, he will be fine, but he needs time to rest. Now it is best to maintain your normal activities for the next few days. I trained along side him when we were growing up so I know everything he knows as far as jiujitsu is concerned. I will continue your training while he is out, I expect you to show me the same respect you show him."

Raphael looked as though he wanted to argue but he didnt really know what to say to her, he shared a look with his brothers and Leo said to her.

"OK."

Shen smiled at them and said kindly.

"What is your daily routine? Knowing Yoshi he had one set up for you."

Leo stood up and stepped forward.

"We usually wake up early and have morning training then have breakfast and free time, lunch, training again in the afternoon. The evening's have been messed up for some time now because of foot activity and the Krang. So we don't have evening practice any more we have evening patrol after supper."

Shen nodded and asked.

"How long is patrol?"

"Ruffly two to three hours depending on what's going on, if we are out to late Splinter will allow us to miss morning practice or practice later on in the morning. He doesn't let us practice too often if we have lack of sleep."

She nodded again and told them.

"OK, we will stick to the schedule, BUT, after the events of today, you will not be going on patrol until Yoshi wakes up."

Raphael stood up next to his older brother and said.

"But we don't even know how long that will be!"

Shen gave him a no nonsense look and said.

"No patrol Raphael, that is not hard to understand, and if you give me any grief there will be consequences."

Leo stepped back seeing his brother was mouthing their guest.

"But the Krang could start trouble with out us being out there!"

His voice began to raise. But Shen kept her calm.

"Raphael we will discuss this privately, you three go have free time, there will be no practice today."

They bowed and left the room.

Shen looked at the temperamental turtle and asked.

"What seems to be the problem Raphael?"

Raph stood his ground and told her hotly.

"Splinter's our teacher! You cant come in here and order us around like your our Sensei! Who do you think you are!"

Shen never raised her voice as she told him simply.

"I am the wife of Homato Yoshi, so in some sense I am your mother like he is your father. I know it is hard to believe that another human could accept four young mutant turtles as their children. But I had some time to think while in that dungeon Raphael, I am not afraid of you and I accept you all as my sons as well. Before Yoshi left Japan before the fire that took our home and nearly took our lives I had told him that I wanted more children. I don't care that you four are adopted and are mutants. I only care about you, I tried to protect your younger brothers at Shredder's base."

Raph felt his temper fading the more she spoke, he looked down at the floor and then back up at her and said.

"I'm sorry... I didnt mean to disrespect you... its just that... most humans would ridicule us and use us. Maybe even lead us on into thinking they are good."

Raphael didnt know where this was coming from but he felt he could tell her anything.

Shen could see an inner battle going on inside of him.

"Is there something you wish to tell me Raphael?"

She could sense they were no longer alone and said.

"Identify who you are at the door?"

A very sheepish looking Donatello stepped in and said.

"Its Donatello."

"Were you sent as a spy or did you come on your own accord?"

Donnie looked down in shame and said.

"Sent to eavesdrop."

Shen looked at him with a disapproving look and said.

"Tell your brothers to go to their rooms, if they do not wish to maintain a privet atmosphere in which I wish to talk to your brother. I believe I made my self clear I wanted to talk to Raphael privately, this means no brothers hanging around the door. If I wanted some one to listen in I would have asked you all to stay am I clear?"

Donnie stood up straight and said quickly.

"Yes Ma'am."

After that was said he left the room quickly. Raph stood there in shock, never in his life had Splinter ever sent his brothers away if he wanted a privet talk and they came to the door. He looked up at Shen and said softly.

"Wow... I have never seen that happen."

Shen noticed his surprise and asked.

"Yoshi never sends them away?"

Raph shook his head and told her.

"No, he would just give in and let them come listen."

Shen stood up straighter and told him matter of factually.

"Well when I am wanting to talk to some one privately then in privet it shall be."

Raph could see some really good changes in the near future if she stuck around.

"Back to my question, is there something else bothering you Raphael?"

He looked down at his feet and said.

"My brothers and Sensei all say I have anger issues..."

"What is the cause of it? Or do you even know?"

Raph felt at a loss for words, he just shrugged for an answer.

"Raphael, did something happen with humans when you were younger that made you upset towards them? Something Yoshi doesn't even know about?"

He snapped his head up at that and just studied her.

She could see the question in his eyes.

"If your worried that I will tell Yoshi when he awakens, do not worry. I will not discuss this with him if you wish me not to."

Raph looked down at the floor then looked back up at her with tears in his green eyes.

"When, when we were about 5 years old... Mikey wandered off out of the lair... I went after him... we were quite a ways from the lair when we saw some humans down a tunnel. Mikey being the goof he is wanted to make friends, before I could stop him he ran up to them."

Tang Shen could tell this was something painful in his past and he sat down to tell the tale, she sat across from him as he continued.

"Mikey tried talking to them, but they threw rocks at him and laughed calling him a monster and a freak. I stepped in and they really had a good laugh saying oh now there are two freaks, the insults continued to a point Mikey was in tears. Then one of the bigger men through a rock at me, it hit my leg... the rock was bigger then I was and it snapped it... the men stopped their laughing when they heard the bone break. But then it was too late, Mikey helped me home. The men never followed, Splinter was furious at us, Mikey got a whoopin for sneaking out. But he said that my broken leg was punishment enough. I had several months of recuperation to think about what had happened, and I guess over time I just learned to not trust humans and to hate them to some point."

Tang Shen felt bad for the young turtle, to hold something in like this for a decade... she knew he must have been hurting inside all this time.

Placing a hand under his chin she made him look at her.

"Raphael, not all humans are like that, some will accept you. I accepted you all when I first met you, yes I was startled at first but you have feelings just like a human does. I could see that clearly the way the four of you spoke. Those men should never have done that to you two, just remember to stick to the humans you trust Raphael. You always find out who your friends are at a time that you need them the most."

He stifled a yawn and said.

"Thanks for talking to me..."

She smiled at him and said.

"You are welcome, now, scoot on to bed, I will look after Splinter tonight OK?"

"Yes Ma'am."

As he got up to leave she asked.

"Is this why you are angry all the time? Your just scared?"

Raphael turned around and faced her, surprised that she had figured him out so quickly.

He nodded in response and left the dojo and went to bed.

Shen went to check on the other turtles and found them to be fast asleep in their beds, she walked back out and pulled a chair closer to Splinter's still form. She ran a hand over his head and told him.

"Oh Yoshi, what are we going to do with them, they are such brave boys. You do not have to worry, I am staying here in New York. You no longer have to raise them by your self any more, I have only known them for one afternoon and they already have found their place in my heart."

She sat by his side the entire night watching over his sleeping form.

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**A/N: Please Review! I hope you all are enjoying this so far. The plot will thicken here with in the next few chapters. I also have a surprise coming up for every one. This story will be full of surprises so stay tuned!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I am going ahead and posting this chapter early as a treat since I realized I made a mistake in chapter 1 and had to fix it. **

**Please let me know if the corrections for Chapter 1 are any better. And let me know if there is anything else i need to correct with this story. if so it is no trouble to go back and correct mistakes.**

**Again thank you Eira Day for letting me know about the error in chapter 1.**

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During the night Splinter woke from his deep sleep, he felt an arm around his chest that wasn't his own, looking over he saw Tang Shen asleep half holding him sitting on a chair. He smiled to him self and shook her arm whispering.

"Shen? Sweet heart wake up."

Shen stirred in her sleep and opened her eyes to see that Splinter was awake, she thought to her self _that didn't take long_.

She kissed the side of his nose and told him.

"The boys will be so happy your awake, they were worried about you."

Shen hadn't noticed that she was not alone, he gestured to her right. She looked down to find Michelangelo fast asleep at the foot of the couch leaning up against it with his head on Splinter's knee. While Raphael and Leonardo were sitting back to back with their heads resting together near the chair while Donatello was sitting in the chair sound asleep as well.

She smiled to her self and told him quietly.

"They are remarkable you know that? Such bravery and determination in their hearts."

Splinter smiled at her and said softly.

"They are, they have such a strong will together. Are they OK? Did they get hurt?"

She shook her head and told him.

"Raphael has a few bruises but nothing that wont heal with time, but the others are just fine."

He looked over at his sons and asked.

"Did Michelangelo behave before we got home? He can be a bit rambunctious when he gets scared and he doesn't have me or his brothers around."

She smiled at his concern and said kindly.

"He was fine, I talked to him and told him that you would all be home soon. I distracted him with the pinball machine before hand so he could calm down."

Splinter raised his brow and told her.

"You distracted him THAT easily? I have never been able to master that."

She smiled and said.

"Maybe all you needed was a woman's touch, I don't think your going to have much trouble with Raphael any longer. I had a long talk with him, he seems to have calmed down some, and the others may not evesdrop any longer when you want a privet conversation with any of them."

He smiled at her tiredly and told her.

"You mean to tell me you have made that much of a difference in just one after noon?"

She smiled and told him.

"Seems like I have."

Looking up at the clock Splinter saw it was just before 6am.

"You should wake them, I should not get up just yet."

Splinter raised his tail weakly and tickled Michelangelo's nose. Shen giggled when the youngest turtle swiped the tail away. Splinter smiled as he did it again, this time the young turtle woke up and looked over at Shen and noticed Splinter smiling at him.

"Splinter! Your awake! Guys wake up!"

The other three shot up from their spots and rushed over to greet ther father. All talking at once, Splinter raised a hand and said.

"I am fine boys, I am happy you are all safe and OK."

Mikey spoke next.

"Guess what! I actually got to talk to Shen and didn't get hit by Raph! It was awesome!"

Raph rolled his eyes and struggled hard not to wap his little brother for being silly.

Splinter went to sit up and pain shot through his body, he noticed that his kimono had been changed and his wounds were dressed.

Shen sat next to him and said.

"I had the boys help me change your kimono then I dressed your wounds. I had to give you six different stitches, you were lucky, I am so happy your OK. I made sure the boys went to bed last night and we went over when you normally train them."

Splinter smiled at her and said.

"I am so happy your here, but you know you have put your self in grave danger by coming here. Saki will be after you once more, he will try and get you back."

She sat up straight and told him matter of factually.

"Let him try."

The turtles had gone to shower and get ready for the day, but a voice from behind startled them both slightly.

"They mess with you they have to answer to me!"

As much as it pained him Splinter turned around to see his second eldest son standing behind the couch with his hands on his hips. He leaned down and picked up something from behind the couch and handed Splinter's walking stick to him.

"We left this in the shell raiser yesterday, I figured you might need it."

Splinter looked between Raphael and Tang Shen and asked.

"What did you do to him?"

He was used to Leonardo or even Donatello giving out kind gestures but it was almost unheard of for Raphael.

Splinter went to stand but went back down, Raphael raced around the side of the couch and helped his father up. Looking between Splinter and Shen Raph said.

"Would you mind if I talked to him privetlly?"

Shen smiled at him and said.

"Of course, its OK."

She looked over and caught the eyes of the other three turtles who took off into Donatello's lab and shut the door with a loud bang.

Splinter and Raph walked to the kitchen and sat at the table.

Raph looked down at the table top after getting the tea kettle on the stove and turning it on.

Again this surprised Splinter to know end the sudden change in his most temperamental son.

"Is something wrong Raphael?"

Raph let out a loud sigh and once again looked back down at the table, not fearing of any one over hearing he said.

"Sensei do you remember that day that Mikey ran off when we were little?"

Splinter raised his brow and asked.

"Which time?"

"when we were 5, when I broke my leg."

Splinter nodded and said.

"Yes I recall that very well."

Raph sighed again and shifted in his seat.

"I didn't tell you everything that had happened that day, I don't know if it was because of fear. Or pain but I didn't tell you everything that happened."

Splinter noticed tears in his sons green eyes and prompted him.

"What didn't you tell me then my son?"

Raph gulped, and the sound of the kettle whistled in the air. He stood and poured his father some tea and set it down for him. He was silent for a few more minutes before Shen came into the room.

"Go on Raphael, tell him."

He didn't care if she was there or that she was eavesdropping, he had already told her everything.

"Those men we encountered... they didn't just throw rocks at Mikey... they through a piece of concrete at me... it was large enough that it snapped my leg... I didn't fall like I had told you I did... that was why I have been so angry all these years... I hated humans... I know Mikey either didn't remember or he is too much of a pushover to even think before he does something. That is why I am so protective of him."

Splinter was silent for several moments, Raph looked him in the eye as he said.

"I am sorry I lied to you."

Shen stood beside Splinter with a hand on his good shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I talked to him last night about it, he has felt guilty for years."

Splinter looked into his sons green eyes and told him.

"It happened a long time ago my son, but thank you for telling me the truth. I can not punish you for something that you did so may years ago. I am just happy that you came clean now, is this why you let that man get to you some months back? You were angry because of the past?"

Raph nodded and looked down at the table top again, Splinter reached over and lifted his sons chin with his hand.

"Raphael, you will not be punished my son, you have punished your self pretty well over the years. Your feelings of guilt is what caused you to fear humans."

Shen spoke up next.

"He was a little hostile towards me at first until I asked to speak with him in privet. I think we have reached an understanding now haven't we?"

Raph looked up at her and said.

"Yes ma'am."

Splinter took a sip of his tea and set the cup down still looking intently at his son, he knew he was growing up if he came to him when he knew something was wrong.

"Raphael, thank you for talking to me. Is there anything else I need to know?"

Raph shook his head.

Splinter nodded to this and said.

"Very well, I had better make breakfast since I know you all must be hungry."

A firm hand on his shoulder kept him still.

"Oh know you don't mister, you stay put."

Splinter looked up at his wife and smiled at her as she walked over to the fridge and opened the door and looked inside.

Turning back to her husband she said.

"You do not have much food. When was the last time you guys had a decent meal?"

Splinter told her softly.

"For nearly fifteen years we survived on algae and worms as well as any barely edible food I was able to find in dumpsters. Since meeting April she has been bringing us down food, it is almost shopping day. She goes to the store on Fridays and gets us supplies."

Shin looked at her husband and sat down across from him.

"You do not have to live like that any more, and there isn't enough food for all six of us, let me go to the store and get some things and I can fix us a decent meal."

Splinter put a hand on hers and said quickly.

"But Shredder is after you... I don't want him to get ahold of you again."

Out of no where Raphael and Leonardo walked into the kitchen and Raph said to the two adults.

"We will go with her."

Splinter and Shen looked up at the two teens and Splinter said to them.

"I don't know boys."

Donnie and Mikey joined them and Donnie told them.

"We will be fine Sensei."

Splinter looked up at his tallest son and asked him.

"Before you were taken, you hurt your head? How are you feeling now?"

Donnie felt the bump on his head that was still there from when he fell out of the tree and said honestly.

"I still have a slight head ache and I am still dizzy."

Splinter nodded and told him.

"Then you will stay here, and return to bed. The others will accompany Shen to the store."

Donnie started to argue.

"But Sensei I feel fine!"

Splinter put his hand on his head feeling his head ache returning and said to his son.

"Donatello please don't argue with me, just go to your room. And there will be no patrol for about a week until things settle down a little with Shredder."

Donnie looked as though he was about to say something when Shen stood up and said to him.

"Donatello, I believe your father gave you an order. Now off you go, go on."

Donnie frowned but did what he was told, he had started to look up to Shen as a mother figure when they were trapped together at the Foot Headquarters.

Raph, Leo and Mikey watched him go and then Mikey asked.

"Am I going too? Or do I have ta stay here too?"

Shen asked him.

"Were you injured?"

"No ma'am I wasn't hurt."

"Then yes you may go as well. But, you must remain silent we do not want to get ambushed."

Mikey did a solute and said happily.

"Yes ma'am! You wont even know that I am there!"

She chuckled at that and went to get a coat from the closet.

Splinter called out to her.

"There is some money in the cookie jar on the microwave if you need it."

She peaked back into the kitchen and told him.

"Thank you, but I have some cash left that I had brought with me from Japan."

He nodded and got up and followed her to the door, as she and two of his sons went to go out the door he stopped Leonardo.

"My son, keep a close eye on her, unless she is in the store don't let her out of your sight."

"Hai Sensei."

He stood just beyond the thresh hold and watched them disappear around the corner, he knew it was early morning but he trusted his wife with his sons.

Splinter went to Donatello's room and knocked, he could hear the soft reply and then entered. He found his smartest son sitting at his desk going through some papers. Splinter walked over and sat on the bed and watched his son who was trying to ignore him.

"Donatello... I know your angry at me, but I did it for your own good. I ordered you to stay behind because you have a concussion and I do not want it to get any worse."

He watched his son nod his head, he frowned at the disrespect his son was displaying and said.

"Are you ignoring me because your angry? Or because you are thinking?"

He knew his son did this from time to time when he was thinking, he would ignore any one who was around.

Donnie turned from his desk and said.

"Sorry Sensei, I was thinking, I am upset but it would be childish to play the silent treatment to your own father..."

Splinter gave him a slight smile and asked him.

"What are you working on?"

Donnie looked at him for a moment, it was unusual but not unheard of for his father to be curious about his work.

"I am working on making a retro mutagen. I am going over my notes from when I made it for Kirby."

Splinter frowned and asked.

"Did he get mutated again? I thought he was fine?"

Donnie looked down at the desk and fiddled with the pencil, it was then that it hit Splinter.

Taking his hand he lifted his son's eyes to meet his.

"Donatello, you do not have to make it for me, I have long ago accepted what I am."

Donnie sighed and told him sadly.

"I know, but I had made two doses before... and Baxter knocked one out of my belt and it broke... the other one was for you. But I had to use it for Kirby... I vowed to make more."

Splinter stood and wrapped his arms around his son and said softly.

"If you do that is wonderful, but if you don't then I will be fine too. I love you my son, I know you care about me and I thank you for that."

Letting go he turned to leave the room but his son stopped him.

"The only thing I am missing is mutagen."

Splinter turned around and asked.

"I thought April's blood was what you needed?"

Donnie looked at him sheepishly.

"I still have plenty, she knew I was still trying to make it so she let me draw more and freeze it."

Splinter nodded and asked his son.

"The container of mutagen at Stockman's laboratory, it had a large bat of mutagen correct?"

Donnie nodded and said.

"Hai, it does but I would need to some how get it with out getting it on me. There is no way I can just walk in and get it with out consequences."

Splinter frowned and told him.

"When you and I are completely healed we will go get it."

Donnie asked.

"All five of us?"

"No, just the two of us, are there any guards there?"

Donnie frowned thinking.

"Some times a foot bot or Krang droid but that is about it."

"Then we should be able to handle this mission, but first we must heal."

Donnie asked.

"Why just us? Why not the others?"

Splinter walked over to his now standing son and placed a hand on his broad shoulder and told him gently.

"Because, while I was battling Shredder my life flashed before my eyes... and it made me realize something."

Donnie frowned and asked when Splinter didn't continue.

"What's that?"

Splinter held his son close to him and told him softly.

"That over the last 15 years I have never unless it was for training or illness, have never spent any one on one time with any of you, so I have chosen to start making that a tradition. So there for you and I will go on a mission together to get the mutagen you need to make the retro mutagen."

He let his son go and looked into his brown eyes, Donnie smiled and told him.

"I would like that very much. Are you going to do that with the others too? Go on solo missions with them?"

Smiling Splinter told him.

"Most likely so, Michelangelo on the other hand... I really don't know what he and I could do."

Donnie smiled up at him and said honestly.

"He likes to explore and find things, maybe you two should go to the junk yard and look around. He may find who knows what over there. There are times on our missions we have to redirect him because he is getting into dumpsters."

Splinter nodded and told him.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, thank you my son, now why don't you lay down and rest. When breakfast or lunch is ready I will come get you."

"OK."

About an hour later Raph, Leo, Mikey and Shen returned to the lair with several bags of food, Splinter helped put all the food away. He took notice that there were lots of vegetables, fruits, and all other items from the food groups in the bags. He knew that his sons could be finicky eaters at times so this could get interesting since they were not brought up even knowing about the food pyramid.

He could hear Raphael grumbling and asked him.

"What seems to be the trouble Raphael?"

Raph looked over and told his father.

"Mikey griped and complained the entire way home because we didn't get no frozen pizza. I am OK with what we got but man he complained the entire time."

Mikey ducked his head at his father's gaze and tried to escape out of the room, Leo blocked his path and the shortest turtle looked up at his father.

The stern look was all Mikey needed to know he was in trouble, there was only one other time he complained about food and that was when he was much younger and didn't know any better.

Splinter took him by the arm and went to the dojo, shutting the door Splinter asked him.

"What seems to be the problem Michelangelo? Why would you act so dishonorable to Shen about food? Something that had, up until recently, been a rarity in our home."

Mikey swallowed hard, he knew he was in trouble.

"I, uh... I really... don't have a good excuse Sensei..."

Splinter walked over leaving his son in the middle of the room and got the wooden sword he often used when they misbehaved. Mikey tensed up when he saw this but knew it would only make it worse if he tried to run.

Just then the doors opened and Shen rushed in.

"Yoshi! Stop, honey listen... I had already gotten on to him about the disrespect. Raphael told me what the punishment was for complaining about food that is why I ran in here. I made him realize that pizza was not the only food in the world, and that there were so many other good kinds out there. Please don't punish him."

Splinter had lowered the sword when his wife ran in, he listened and looked down at his son, he could see now the fear that was in his blue eyes. _So that is why he didn't tell me... _

Splinter held it out to his son and said in a softer tone of voice.

"Put this away Michelangelo and go to your room."

Mikey bowed and said quickly.

"Hai Sensei."

Splinter then turned to his wife and asked.

"Did you get on to Raphael for being a tattle tail?"

Shen shook her head.

"No, I didn't hear all of what he had said, I just heard his comment to Leonardo about the punishment. You really whip them with a wooden sword as punishment?"

Splinter looked over at Michelangelo who was taking his time to put the sword away listening in.

"It has seemed most effective through the years, time outs were practically laughable, and since we didn't have much, taking items away were out of the question too. I didn't know what else to do so I made that out of a branch from the tree that had fallen during a bad storm. The boys know what it is for and if they do anything wrong they know it will get used."

Shen told her husband.

"Honey, they don't need it anymore, now that they have access to the world above they can be grounded, and they have more things now and those can be taken away. You do not need that sword for punishment."

Splinter stood his ground and told her.

"Shen, I appreciate you coming and helping us, but I will stick to what I know works for discipline. It is only Michelangelo that gets the sword now, the others not so much anymore. I do use grounding, the sword is only used if he disrespects some one, or shows lack of honor."

Mikey placed the sword where it belonged and darted out of the room as quickly as possible, he didn't want to be in even more trouble for listening in on a conversation.

Splinter glanced over at his departing son then back to his wife as she spoke to him.

"Yoshi, I know you love them, but next time listen to his side of the story. You cant let anger cloud your judgement, isn't this what you have been trying to teach Raphael? He is more like you than any of those boys."

Splinter knew she was right, he let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged slightly.

"I know your right, how did you become an over night pro with teenagers?"

Shen smiled and told him.

"I have been a school teacher for the last 14 years, I deal with teenagers all the time."

He gave her a hug and told her gently.

"Thank you."

* * *

**A/N: since in the series Shen has in fact passed away I am creating my own version of her, she is a natural with children, and I can see her being a teacher. So please review. **

**I may have thrown Splinter a little OOC but I can see him over reacting to one of the turtles complaining about food. Since I am sure it was rare to have good fresh food growing up.**


	10. Chapter 10

Shredder sat in his throne room, it had been over a week since he had been defeted by the turtles and Splinter. He had sustained some injuries from the blow to the head, but nothing he couldn't bounce back from. He had called for Karai and was waiting for her to answer.

He saw the double doors open and his 'daughter' enter the room.

"Karai, I have a mission for you."

Karai bowed and said.

"What is it?"

Shredder got up and walked down the steps to face his daughter, placing a masive hand on her small framed shoulder he said to her.

"I need to go to Japan for a few months, I need you to take my place as leader of the foot in my absence."

Karai frowned and said.

"Sure, but why? Why do you have to go to Japan?"

Shredder removed his hand and placed it behind his back.

"I am getting a new worrier, he is hard to find, it may take months to find him. You see he travels all over Asia fighting wars, and is a great assasin. I need him to defeat our enemies, in the mean time, I want you to keep tabs on the turtles. Do not engage a conflict if you do not have to."

She bowed her head and he said to her.

"I will be keeping in contact with you my daughter, do not let me down."

She bowed again and said.

"I wont."

He dismissed her and thought _what is he hiding? Why wont he tell me who this assassin is? There has to be something going on._

Hours after Shredder left Karai sent the foot out to patrol the city while she stayed behind this time, she went to her father's chambers and found an old box stuck back in a corner. In it had a torn in half picture of a woman with long dark hair, she wondered if this was her mother?

Out of no where a voice was heard in the distance.

"Karai! Karai where are you! Damn it girl!"

She knew by the voice it was Xever, she stood up straight and headed out of her 'father's' quarters and went to find Xever.

She put the picture in her belt to study it later, she found Xever and said.

"What do you want."

Xever looked at her annoyed and told her.

"Listen girl, just cause Shredder is not here does not mean I have to like you any better."

"Can it Fishface! What were you wanting?"

"I was just going to say, that the turtles have been spotted in town. Well three of them at least."

Karai thought about it for a moment then said.

"Let them be for now, tomorrow we will start keeping watch for them."

_In the sewers..._

It had been a week since the turtles and Splinter had defeated Shredder, they began to get accustomed to having Tang Shen living with them. The turtles went to the junk yard and found a mattress and frame for a bed, only it was a double bed and replaced Splinter's bed.

Shen was happy the turtles did that for her, Mikey had no problem calling her 'mom' but the others were more reluctant to call her anything but Shen or Tang Shen.

She didn't go to the surface hardly at all due to Shredder looking for her, Splinter and Donatello had gone and collected some mutagen as Splinter had promised and now Donatello began to recreate the retro-mutagen.

Donatello sat in his lab like he always did and mixed chemicals, he was concentrating so hard he didn't even know he was no longer alone. He knew it had to be family so he didn't jump when a voice said.

"Donatello?"

Trying to keep his hand steady as he poured April's blood into the mutagen, stiring it up he watched as it turned orange color. He put the eye dropper down and looked up at Shen.

"Something wrong?"

She smiled at him and said sweetly.

"No, but it is dinner time, are you having any luck?"

Donnie let out a sigh and said.

"Its the same color as the last batch but I need to look at it under a microscope to make sure it works."

Shen asked him.

"Will this stuff work?"

"It should, but Sensei has been a mutant for so long I don't know if it will stick. I am afraid to try it though..."

Shen pulled up a stool and asked.

"Why?"

Donnie looked at the beaker and then back at her and said.

"When Kirby O'Neil turned back human from a bat he went through intense pain while he changed... I don't want to hurt my father... I didn't want to hurt Kirby but it did."

Shen took Donnie's hand in her own and looked in his eyes and said to him.

"You are the most kind hearted being I know Donatello, and your father knows this. I am sure he went through pain to become a mutant in the first place, I don't think its a painless process."

She could see something else was on his mind.

"What troubles you?"

He frowned and then said.

"I wondered if it hurt us? If the four of us got hurt when we mutated?"

Suddenly a new voice joined in and said.

"As I remember, you four were mear infants, from what I could tell it did not hurt you."

They both looked over to Splinter standing in the doorway, he walked over and told his son.

"Donatello, do not worry, if it does cause me pain I wont blame you. Because it wont be your fault, it was not your fault when we became mutants to begin with. And yes it was painful, but after all these years of being a ninja master I can handle it my son."

Donatello looked into his father's brown eyes and saw the sincerity there, he gave him a half smile and allowed the two adults to lead him out of the lab. He stopped in the doorway and said.

"I need to put the Retro-mutagen in the fridge. At least Mikey knows to stay out of that part of my lab."

They both chuckled and waited for him, Shen looked at her husband and said.

"You know, I bet he was fun to raise."

Splinter looked into her brown eyes and told her.

"Which one? Donatello or Michelangelo?"

They laughed softly at that, while Donatello came up to them with a smile.

"I had to see if it worked first, and it does. We can use it when ever, it has to stay cooled though."

Splinter shook his head and said to him.

"I wonder about you some times my son, come let us eat."

They all sat around at the dinner table and began to eat.

When they were nearly done Splinter got every one's attention and said.

"Donatello has something to tell every one."

Donnie wanted to duck his head at the sudden attention but now was not the time to be shy, he put his fork down and said happily.

"I got the retro mutagen done."

Leo asked him.

"I thought you said it would take months to make more? You have only been working on it for days?"

Donnie looked into his brother's blue eyes and told him.

"That was when I thought I was going to have to search for mutagen canisters, I have enough mutagen to make several batches."

Mikey frowned and asked.

"How did you get more?"

Donnie told his little brother.

"Remember when Master Splinter and I went topside a few nights ago?"

When Mikey nodded his understanding Donnie continued.

"Well, it was actually a mission, he took me to Baxters old lab where that large tub of mutagen is and we helped our selves to it. We had to fight a few foot bots, and Krang but nothing serious."

Raph frowned and told him.

"That almost sounds too easy. You would think they would have more guards then that?"

Mikey spoke up.

"Maybe they didn't expect any one to break in and steal mutagen?"

Raph cocked his head and said.

"True, that could be. But that is great Donnie. How big is this batch?"

Donnie was pleased that his older brother was happy for him.

"Two batches, I didn't want to make a large batch cause I don't need to."

Leo looked at their father and asked.

"When are you going to try it?"

Splinter put his own fork down and told his sons.

"Soon, give me a few days to prepare to become human again. Is there a time limit Donatello to when it has to be used after created?"

Donnie shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"I honestly don't know, I mean the first batch I had made was ruined and then the second was used right away on Kirby so I don't know to be quite honest with you."

Splinter smiled at his son and said.

"Then we will try tomorrow morning."

Mikey had to ask.

"Sensei... what if it don't work? I know that it worked on Kirby and all but you have been a mutant for years."

Splinter told them.

"Then I know its my destiny to remain a rat."

Raph frowned deeply and said.

"Your OK with that? I mean this is your chance to be normal?"

"Raph!"

Leo was shooting him a warning look.

Splinter held his hand up and said.

"That is an honest question Leonardo, Raphael, I know this is my chance. But I have welcomed being a rat for years. If I do become human my love for the four of you will never change."

Mikey spoke next.

"Will we stay down here? Or go to live on the surface?"

Splinter chuckled and said.

"Lets cross that bridge when we get there my son, for now lets finish our dinner and prepare for tomorrow morning."

They finished their meal and then they did their evening practice since they would not be doing morning practice.

The following morning every one got up early, Splinter was in the kitchen with Shen making breakfast for the turtles. Shen asked her husband.

"Do not worry if this doesn't work, I will love you regardless if your a rat or human."

He turned from the stove and hugged her and said.

"Thank you, and I know you will. To be human once more will be nice."

Shen hugged him and just held him for some time, she missed him so much. They had these mornings where they would just enjoy each other's company and hold each other.

They did not see Raphael enter the kitchen until he spoke.

"OK you two get a room."

They looked over at Raphael and both laughed slightly, Splinter told him.

"We would, but then breakfast would burn."

Raph raised his brow and said.

"Funny. So where are the others?"

Donatello came in next.

"Right here Raph, Leo and Mike are coming."

After a few more minutes all four turtles were gathered around the table talking quietly to them selves, Shen found her self just watching them. She wondered how she got so lucky to go from motherless to having four sons. She felt Splinter wrap his arms around her, she looked up and he whispered into her ear.

"I have done that too, just stood and watched them and wondered how lucky I am."

Shen watched the turtles for a few more minutes then broke away and got the food set out for the boys. Leo looked up after getting his own helping and said.

"Aren't you two going to eat?"

Donnie spoke first.

"Master Splinter cant eat anything until the mutation. April told me that her dad had apparently eaten before the mutation and got sick. He can drink but cant eat."

Splinter told his eldest son.

"I will be fine Leonardo, after breakfast we will go to Donatello's lab."

Splinter noticed Donatello's downcast eyes and called his name a couple of times with no response. Walking around the table he got his sons attention by snapping his fingers in his face.

The young teen jumped and looked up at his father.

"What troubles you my son?"

Donnie looked down at his bowl of oatmeal and said softly.

"Same thing that was on my mind yesterday... I am just worried..."

Shen came around and put her hand on his shoulder as well.

"Donatello, it is OK if it fails. Do you want to know what my parents taught me and I teach my students at school?"

He shook his head, she continued.

"I tell my students, 'at first if you don't succeed then try, try again' it may take a while but you will get it. Do not be so hard on your self."

Raph looked at his younger brother from across the table and said to Shen.

"He has always been this way, its like he is a younger form of Leo, always worrying and pushing him self too hard. Then when something goes wrong he blames him self for days on end."

Leo rolled his eyes but choose to ignore the comment, Donnie looked up at his older brother but also choose to remain silent.

Shen looked down at the turtle and told him softly.

"Don't worry just yet Donatello, we have not even done the experiment yet. It will be OK. I have a plan in mine if it does not work."

Donnie frowned and looked up at her, in fact she had every one's attention.

Shen looked around at her family and said.

"I wont elaborate until the experiment has taken place. Now every one eat and report to Donatello's lab in twenty minutes."

The turtles had no idea what would happen if they tried to mutate their father, but in about twenty minutes they would be finding out.

* * *

**A/N: ooooo Cliff hanger! Hehehe! Love you guys! see ya in chapter 11 for Splinter's unmutation! That is if it works...**


	11. Chapter 11

While the turtles were eating Splinter and Shen went to the dojo to talk and to wait for the boys. Splinter held his wife and told her.

"This is going to be wonderful if it works, but what is your plan if it doesn't work?"

Shen smiled up at him and said.

"Then I want our son to mutate me into a rat so we can indefinitely be together."

Splinter held her at arms length and said.

"You would become a rat just to be with me? Honey you do not have to do that, I am happy with the way you are and with the way I am. It should work, we can hope."

She looked over at the dojo clock and said.

"We should get going, the boys will be in there soon."

Splinter had felt confident in his decision about becoming human again until he saw the orange content of the beaker on the lab table and Donatello standing next to it. The young 15 year old looked just as nervous as his father walked up to him.

"Son, how is this supposed to be given?"

Donnie looked up at his father and around at the rest of his family.

"Its supposed to be injected, Kirby had to have it dropped on his head because the vile broke."

In saying Donnie got out a syringe and filled it with the liquid, Splinter rolled up the sleeve of his robe and sat on the stool so his son could reach him. Donatello tried to keep a steady hand as he put the needle to his father's arm.

Splinter could see his hesitation and told him.

"Donatello, just focus on the task at hand, concentrate. Just like in your ninja training, do not worry about hurting me my son, I am a lot tougher then you think."

Donatello looked at his brothers and new found mother and then back to his father, he gulped and stuck the needle into his father's arm and pushed the retro mutagen into his father's system.

The affects were not imideate but it did happen, Splinter grabbed his arm that got injected and cried out. Going to his knees he continued to cry out as his fur began to shrink along with his nose. With in a few minutes black hair replaced brown and small human ears replaced long brown ears.

They all watched as Splinter turned back into a human before their very eyes, after the transformation was over Homato Yoshi sat on the floor panting heavily holding his chest.

All four turtles surrounded their father as he continued to gasp for air and cough in pain.

Shen was at his side and asked.

"Are you alright? How do you feel?"

Yoshi coughed again and then said between gasps.

"I- I- am fine. Just give me some room."

After a few minutes he went from being on his hands and knees to sitting up, he looked up at his son and said.

"I think it worked."

He got the strength to stand and felt off balance at first, after fifteen years of having large feet standing on normal human feet was alien to him.

Donatello took his BO off his back and handed it to his father as a walking stick, Yoshi took it and used it.

Being able to fully stand now he wrapped one arm around Donatello and told him.

"Thank you my son."

He then turned and gave each of his other sons a hug as well before settling on hugging his wife, she reached up and gave him a kiss on the mouth.

Mikey had to say it.

"Awe, its a Kodak moment!"

Yoshi had tears of happiness rolling down his cheeks as he laughed at his youngest son's joke, he turned around and looked around at his family.

He looked down at his hands and was so happy to see human hands, but he took note at how dry his skin looked after all of these years.

Donnie let out a breath he didnt know he had been holding and asked his father.

"How do you feel?"

Yoshi turned from his wife and other sons to look at his most inelegant one.

"I feel human, thank you my son, you have made an old man very happy."

Mikey looked up at his father and asked.

"SO like, how old are you?"

Leo and Raph both wapped him upside the head but no one scolded them this time.

Yoshi walked over to the mirror on the wall by the sink in the lab and looked at him self, putting a hand on the side of his face he studied his looks in the mirror and said to his family.

"I don't look much older then I did before I got mutated."

Shen walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him saying.

"Honey I have told you before I do not care what you look like, now lets go give your body some food since the boys have been fed now."

He turned from the mirror and looked at his family, he could still see the worry in Donatello's eyes and asked him.

"What troubles you Donatello?"

Donatello had been lost in his own thoughts and wasn't paying attention, looking over at his father he just said.

"Nothing Sensei, I was just thinking."

Shen looked at her new found genius son and said.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Donnie looked over at her but didnt say anything, Shen walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Donatello, it worked, there is no need for worrying your self, he is fine look."

Donnie looked over at his father, it did appear that he was fine, but he didnt know for how long. April didnt report that her father had any complaints about turning back human.

He looked off to the side then said softly.

"I know your right. Come on lets go fix him something to eat."

Yoshi walked over to his second youngest son and told him.

"Thank You Donatello, I feel fine, so do not worry about me my son."

Yoshi gave him a hug and held his son for a moment and then they parted and the family went to the kitchen.

Shen made her husband something light for breakfast, as she and him sat down to eat, the turtles went to the living room.

Raph looked over at his genius brother and asked.

"So ya think it will stick Donnie?"

Donatello had been paying attention to Space Heroes and looked over at his brother.

"I think it will, but if not I will try again."

Leo turned to them and told Donnie.

"Sensei told you if it doesn't work not to worry about it."

Donnie looked back at the screen and let out a sigh and told his brothers.

"Your right Leo, I shouldn't stress over it."

Donatello deep down hoped that the reverse mutation would stick with his father, he didnt want to disappoint him a second time.

* * *

**A/N: Well what do you think? Splinter is now human, for now. I know in the episode Donnie said that it would take him months to make more. Well that was with the idea that he would need 10 canisters of mutagen, this is from my imagination that they decided to get some from Baxter's lab. Review please and give me your input on Tang Shen's idea to become a mutant!**


	12. Chapter 12

It had been over a week since Donatello helped his father become human again, Yoshi remained human with no side effects; or, at least none that the turtles could see. Yoshi did not tell them he had felt pain recently, he just brushed it off.

Life had pretty well settled down in the lair, but Yoshi couldn't help but feel something was off with his old enemy. They had not heard a single thing in a while now, and this worried him greatly.

Yoshi along with his wife watched over the four turtles as they went through their morning excersize and training. The turtles had gotten used to having Shen around for the most part. Raphael had calmed down tramendously and his temper got calmer with each passing day. He had less explosions, and would use his words in place of his fists.

Splinter could see the change in his sons, and was pleased they were accepting her so quickly, for the most part the turtles still call him Splinter but Shen and only her would call him Yoshi.

Michelangelo didn't cook nearly as often as he used to, as Shen would be up before him and allowed Mikey to sleep in a little more in the mornings.

Splinter still did not go to the surface yet, as he didnt know if he would be able to blend in since he has been considered missing for over 15 years now. He did not want any one poking and prodding into his personal life or his past.

_Shredder's lair..._

Karai had kept a low profile for the past week or so, with her 'father' not returning yet she was getting antsy and wanted some action. She wondered who had broken into Baxter's lab a week or so ago, all they took were some beekers and a little mutengen out of the tank. She had no way of really finding out either.

She still kept the picture of her mother close, she wondered what had really happened to her? She knows only what her 'father' told her. And that was that Homato Yoshi killed her mother. But she didnt really get much in the way of details.

Razar came into the throne room and told her.

"Karai, I am to understand that you want some of the foot to go down to the docks tonight? Why? Shredder said not to do anything until he returns."

Karai looked down at him from Shredder's seat and said.

"You are not my boss, besides I can do what I want."

Karai got up and walked out of the building, she stood on the steps among the shadows and watched as cars drove by. She wondered if her mother would have loved her if she was still alive...

The black covered van she always used came around the corner and she got in back. Driving down to the docks she started to get the foot to start trouble to atract the turtles.

_In the sewers..._

Leo and Splinter were meditating when the alarm sounded in Donatello's lab, Leo jumped up and ran to see what was the matter. Once there he noticed Donnie looking at his computer.

"There's foot activity down at the docks... they don't seem to be doing anything but just trashing the place?"

Donatello looked up at his oldest brother as he spoke.

"Why I wonder are they doing that?"

Raphael and Michelangelo joined them along with Shen and Splinter.

"Donatello, what is going on?"

Donnie looked up as his father approached him.

"Its the foot, they are down at the docks, but I don't know what they are doing? They are just trashing it from the looks of things."

Raphael spoke up next.

"Well why don't we go down there and show them a thing or two about trashin things that aint thiers to be trashin."

Donatello got up and looked over at Leo who was deep in thought.

"Leo? What do you think? Should we go down there?"

Leo watched the monitor for a moment before telling them.

"It may be a trap... Yes we will go down there, but, Donnie and Mikey stay on the rooftops across from the docks while me and Raph have a look at what is going on. If it looks like we need you then we will call."

The two youngest just stared at the leader but remained silent as they all took off, as they walked out the lair Yoshi told them quickly.

"Boys, be carefull!"

They looked back at him and Leonardo told him.

"Hai Sensei we will."

Homato Yoshi watched his sons leave with a heavey heart, he felt arms going around his middle and he looked down to see his wife's arms encircle him in a loving mannor. She told him softly.

"They will be fine, you have raised them well, now come inside. We can spend some quiet time together while the boys are out."

Yoshi turned and looked into his wife's eyes and saw love there in her brown orbs, he leaned in and kissed her there in the door way to the lair.

Suddenly a voice rang out playfully.

"Get a room!"

They broke apart just in time to see Michelangelo race back in their direction."

Shen asked her son.

"Was there something you needed Michelangelo?"

Mikey chuckled nervously and then said.

"Yea Donnie wanted me to get something from his lab."

Shen shook her head and giggled as the energetic turtle raced past them in a hurry.

"Kids!"

Yoshi laughed and told her.

"Welcome to my world. That boy has always had so much energy."

They walked back inside the lair and watched as Michelangelo raced back out of the lair and said a fast bye as he shut the door hard.

Yoshi sat down with Shen on the couch and asked her.

"So, did the athorities really tell you I had disapeared?"

She nodded and told him.

"They suspected foul play, some how we need to tell them the truth."

Yoshi looked down at his lap and said.

"But... I don't have Miwa... I-I thought she died in the fire? I have no idea where she could be, if she is in america she could be anywhere... and her name could have changed."

She took his hand in hers and told him gently.

"We will find our daughter, you have four amazing sons that you have done a great job in raising for the last 15 years. I know you would have made a great father to our daughter."

Yoshi looked into her dark brown eyes and told her.

"I missed you so much... When Donatello found out that you were alive... I thought... I don't know... I was worried at first... Raphael had made a good point about you possibly being afraid of us but when they all told me you showed no fear... I knew that we could be together again."

She leaned in and their lips met, this time with no interuptions.

_At the docks..._

Leonardo and Raphael kept to the shadows as they slipped across the docks silently hiding behind crates they listened to Karai as she spoke with Fishface.

"Ok, when the turtles get here, remember, we want Donatello."

Raph and Leo looked at each other and Leo whispered.

"So this is a trap."

Raph whispered back.

"Yea, its a trap for Donnie. We better head back and warn the others."

Before either could move they could hear a female voice say.

"Nice idea Raphael, why don't you lead us to where Donatello is? It would make it all the more fun."

Leonardo for the first time, looked Karai in the eyes and saw something familiar in those brown orbs. Before he could react five footbots came charging at them.

Raphael made quick work of them and the two tried to retreat, but more footbots emerged from the wear house. They were now surrounded.

Donatello and Michelangelo saw their older brothers and Donnie said.

"Did ya bring what I asked you to get?"

Mikey held up the bag and said.

"Yep, got them all."

Mikey pulled out his sling shot and put a fire cracker on it, Donnie lit the long fuse and told his little brother.

"NOW!"

Mikey sent the fire cracker flying through the air and it landed just behind two footbots who looked down at it just as it exploded.

Raph and Leo jumped when they saw the explosion and Leo said.

"Those are Donnie's inhanced fire crackers!"

Raph knocked two or three more footbots out of the picture before saying.

"Yep, lets move while we still can."

They escaped to the other side of the docks before Karai jumped in front of them with her sword drawn.

"Not so fast."

Before anything else could happen two more fire crackers landed just feet from her knocking her down. And out of the way.

Leo saw more foot coming and the fire crackers were coming by the pairs aimed directly at the footbots.

Raph and Leo managed to get off the docks and meet their brothers with out any more interferiance.

Unfortunately the loud explosions caused the police to invesitage. The turtles vanished before they got spotted.

They made quick work of heading back home, none of them saying a word the entire way back. Once they got back to the lair they noticed that Shen and their father were no where to be found.

Raph told his brothers.

"Maybe they went on to bed?"

Mikey rolled his eyes and said.

"They were making out when I got back to the lair, then they were talking on the couch when I left."

Donnie looked at his watch and said.

"That was over two hours ago."

Leonardo walked towards the dojo and slipped in silently, he went to his fathers room and could hear noises inside. Deciding it was best to wait till later to talk to them he went back to his brothers.

"They did go to bed, we will talk to them in the morning."

Mikey looked up at the clock and said.

"Sensei never goes to bed at 10?"

Leo just simply told him.

"Well they did tonight, come on guys lets get some shut eye our selves."

They went and did their own thing each going to bed at different times.

They were going to talk to their parents in the morning about what had happened the night before with patrol.

The next morning Leonardo got up and went to the kitchen to get something to drink, he saw his father sitting at the table sipping on a cup of tea, and his mother, Shen, near by making breakfast.

"Goodmorning."

Yoshi and Shen looked over at him and smiled.

"Good morning my son, how did your patrol go last night?"

Leonardo got a glass of juice and sat down across from his father as he said.

"Unexpected. We found out that for what ever reason, Shredder is after Donnie. He was hidden on the roof thankfully so Karai couldn't find him. It turned out to be an ambush when Karai attacked Raph and I with about twenty footbots. We are fine, thanks to Donnie who had Mikey come back for his inhanced fire crakers. It distracted the foot long enough for Raph and I to get away."

Shen turned from the stove and said.

"I bet the police were all over that place then weren't they?"

Leonardo said.

"Yep, but we got out of there when we heard the sirense go off."

Yoshi smiled at his son and said.

"I am happy you all returned safely."

Shen set out some plates and silverwear for the family before asking.

"Why do they want him?"

Leonardo shrugged and said.

"I really don't know, they didnt elaborate on why."

Yoshi looked up at Shen and said.

"Probably to lour you out, he knows your with us."

Yoshi felt a pain shoot in his abdomen, he put his arm around his middle and winced slightly.

"Father? Are you alright?"

Yoshi nodded and said.

"I am fine Leonardo. Why don't you go wake your brothers for breakfast."

Leonardo bowed his head and said.

"Hai Sensei."

He left the kitchen and went to go wake his brothers.

He knocked on Raphael's door, after a few minutes he could hear shuffling before the door opened and a bleary eyed Raphael stood before him.

"What fearless?"

Leonardo swallowed hard, he knew better then to wake his most tempermental brother up but his father had asked him to wake all of his brothers up.

"Um, Shen said Breakfast is ready and asked me to wake you guys up."

Raph nodded and said.

"Fine, be out shortly."

Leonardo got a door in the face but he turned to go wake his next brother up.

Knowing that he wouldn't be in his room he headed to the lab where he found Donatello sitting at his work bench.

"What are you doing Donnie?"

Donatello looked up at his brother and said.

"Working."

Leonardo frowned and asked.

"I can clearly see that, what are you working on?"

Donatello looked over at his older brother and said.

"Not much, but I am worried."

Walking up to the work bench and said gently.

"What are you worried about?"

He put the notes down he was looking at and looked into his brother's blue eyes and said.

"Have you noticed Splinter wincing in pain a lot the last few days?"

Leonardo told him honestly.

"This morning he winced in pain a little but told me it was nothing."

Donatello passed his older brother and leader a sheet of paper and said.

"I found that the longer one is mutated the harder it is for them to stay changed back. Since Splinter had been a mutant for 15 years its going to be harder for him to become human permanently. If he did it would be a mirical."

Leonardo looked at his brothers words on the paper then back up at his taller brother.

"SO your saying that Sensei will eventually turn back into a rat?"

Donatello nodded and said.

"Yes, and any time. I just don't know how to tell him."

Leonardo bit his lip and thought for a moment, then said.

"I need to go wake Mikey, how about we tell him by having a family meeting?"

Donatello took the papers back and bowed his head.

"I-I cant tell him I failed... I don't want to disapoint him... I mean its bad enough... oh never mind come on lets go get Mikey for breakfast."

Leonardo didnt have a chance to say anything as Donatello lead them out of the lab.

Donatello got his younger brother while Leonardo headed back to the kitchen.

He saw it was still just his father and new found mother, but they were kissing.

Raphael came in behind him and said.

"Get a room you two..."

The two broke apart and Shen said.

"Now Raphael, we can do what we want in our home."

Donatello came in next and said.

"Yea but... PDA infront of children?"

Mikey was beside him and asked.

"What does PDA mean?"

Donatello went into geek mode and said.

"PDA: it means public desplay of affection."

Mikey looked at him couriosly and said.

"Then wouldn't that be PDOA?"

Donatello turned to his little brother and explained.

"No, the o is silent, you don't say it. It is pronounced PDA, not PDOA."

"Then what does PDOA stand for?"

"Nothing, shell for brains! Its not a real abriviation."

Mikey was enjoying this.

"What does abriviation mean?"

Raph and Leo both groaned and went to their seats away from the conversation.

Yoshi and Shen tried to stiffle a laugh as Michelangelo teased his older brother.

"How am I supposed to learn if I don't ask questions?"

Donnie rolled his eyes and said.

"Abriveations is the use of words only you use the first letter of each word such as PDA, PD, FC, and so forth."

"What do the last two mean?"

Donnie rolled his eyes and said.

"Purple Dragons and Foot Clan."

Mikey smiled mischieviously and said.

"What does TMNT stand for?"

The other occupants in the room started to laugh when Donatello when three shades greener in anoyance.

"I don't know Mikey... you made it up..."

Yoshi chimed in.

"No my son, TMNT is what you are: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle."

Donatello let out a frustrated groan and took his seat.

Mikey sat across from him and smiled wide.

Donnie pointed a finger at him and said.

"Dont even start Mikey!"

Michelangelo told him.

"Oh but dear brother, I already have..."

Donnie rolled his eyes and concentrated on his plate of food.

After breakfast every one filed into the dojo for morning practice, Leo and Donnie kept a close eye on their father.

As training continued for the next couple of hours, Donatello became more concerned about their father as he was swaying slightly on his feet and becoming more unstable. It had been a week or so since he got changed back into a human, and there WAS the possibility that it would not stick.

Out of know where Yoshi cried out and dropped to the dojo floor, the pain became to much to fight any longer.

Shen and the turtles were at his side instantly, Donatello asked.

"Father? What is it?"

Yoshi mustered up the energy to looked into his son's eyes and said.

"The... Mutation... I think... its wearing off..."

His body began to shake violently and sweat covered his face as he was on his hands and knees.

In a matter of minutes fur covered his body, and his tail reappeared.

Donnie looked on in shock and could feel tears threaten to come to his eyes, he had failed.

"Sensei! Are you alright?"

Splinter looked at his hands and saw that he now had eight fingers instead of ten... and that he was back to being a rat.

He turned pearcing, serious eyes to Donatello and said stricktly.

"You WILL NOT blame your self for this my son. We knew this could happen, it took longer then we thought, but it happened."

"But..."

Splinter sat up better once the pain subsided and said.

"NO BUTS! You will not blame your self Donatello, you and I both knew this could happen. I felt it coming but I ignored it for far too long."

Shen looked at her husband and told him.

"Honey, are you alright?"

He looked over at her and gave her a hug seeing the tears in her eyes.

"Yes I will be fine, and your earlier plan if this one failed, is no."

The turtles looked at each other confused and Donatello asked.

"What plan?"

Shen looked at her new found son and said.

"I was going to have you mutate me into a rat as well."

Donatello looked at her considering her request.

Splinter spoke up before his son's thoughts went too far.

"Donatello Homato, don't even think about it. It is NOT going to happen and that is final I am putting my foot down. She has a chance at a normal life, I do not, so drop it."

"But."

"What did I say about the 'buts'?"

Mikey piped up.

"That they are at the end of the body?"

Raph smacked him on the back of the head and said.

"Shut up, Sensei do you need anything?"

Splinter knew his most hot headed son didn't mind confrontation but right now was not the time.

"Just my cane, and maybe a cheesesicle."

Leonardo jumped up along with his younger brother and went to get the requested items.

Raphael walked into the kitchen and stood there for a moment, he felt anger welling up inside of him, his father had felt the change coming back and he ignored it and didn't tell them.

He got the cheesesicle out of the fridge and took it back to the dojo where his father was sitting up better now.

He looked on angrily as his brother's helped their father to his feet and then out of the dojo, he turned around and began to punch the punching bag that was in the dojo.

He didn't know how long he was laying into it before a hand fell on his shoulder, he spun around, fist raised as he looked into the eyes of his little brother.

Mikey told his brother.

"He will be OK Raph. You need to stop for a while... look at your hands."

Raphael could not explain why his little brother had a way to calm him down, he looked at his hands and saw the blood...

He stormed out of the dojo and went to the bathroom and rinsed off his hands and used the first aid kit to change the wrappings.

He wanted nothing more then to punch the mirror, he knew that it had been a failed attempt to make their father human again.

He wanted some one to blame, he thought about blaming his younger brother but he knew it was pointless because it really wasn't his fault if he thought about it hard enough...

Donatello had retreated back to his room, normally he would go to his lab but... after what happened in the dojo he didn't want to be around any one.

Punching his pillow he felt the tears running down his face, he kept telling him self over and over that he had failed, and that he was a failure. He knew he was ordered not to blame him self but, what his father didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Splinter went to the living room to rest in his old worn out chair, he knew that he had to go talk to Raphael and Donatello but that would have to wait. He needed to slow his own heart rate down and relax for a moment before dealing with his two most emotional children.

Splinter thought about the two, they were as different as night and day but they both held their emotions inside of them selves until they explode.

Raphael's was his temper and Donatello... it took longer for him, he bottled things up, then when it became too much he would lash out verbally as posed to his brother who lashed out physically.

He wasn't as worried about the other two, Michelangelo may have nightmares about what went on in the dojo today and he would go to one of his brothers for comfort, and Leonardo would come to him to talk, or would go to Shen.

He worried, but then again, he knew that in the end everything would come to head with Donatello and Raphael.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **I got a review recently that stated they would like to see Shen mutated. If I have enough votes I will do it. But I want EVERY ONE to be happy if I choose to mutate Shen. No one seemed to like Splinter being human so that is why he is a rat again.

**A/N2: **Clear the air on something: I purposefully didn't mutate Xever or Bradford. They will never be mutated. Also **I do not go by the show's story line**; for one, in case some have not noticed, Shen is not really part of the show. She passed on over 15 years ago and is part of Splinter's memory. This is in AU so it is in a different universe. Which is also why Karai is about to find out about Splinter being her father now rather then later. If you have an issue with this then don't read the story. No one is making you.

I don't flame other stories so I do not like getting them in return or nasty PM's. If I do not like some one's chapter, I either simply go on about life, and say nothing. Or, I PM them nicely and explain what was wrong. Third I don't review at all if I do not like something.

* * *

Splinter went to his room after a while to meditate, he knew his son would blame him self for what happened...

There was a soft knock on his door, coming out of his meditating state he said.

"Enter."

Leonardo slipped into his father's room and knelled before him with his head down.

"Sensei, are you alright?"

Leo looked into his fathers eyes when there was hesitation.

"Yes, my son, I am fine. As I said earlier, I accepted who I am as a rat, nothing can change the way I feel about it."

Leo inhaled deeply and said.

"Don's blaming him self, Raph's temper is out of control and Mike, well he is shut up in his room."

Splinter relaxed his posture and said.

"Leonardo, you must understand that, Donatello thought he could make a miracle. I have had this talk with him, I am waiting to speak with him even now, but I am afraid it is too soon."

"Do you want me to talk to him Sensei?"

Splinter smiled down at his blue eyed son and said.

"No, it should be me, but what you CAN do is go try and talk to Michelangelo, I think my transformation frightened him."

Leonardo nodded and stood up and bowed to his father before leaving the room.

Splinter stood up and let out a breath _I need to go talk to Donatello..._

_Karai's secret hideout..._

Karai had sought out this place a while back when Xever started suspecting that she was up to something when he found her staring at an unknown picture in Shredder's chambers.

She had found more pictures of her mother, but what startled her the most was a note attached to one...

It was a photo of her 'father' and Yoshi, apparently they were just kids at the time, but from the look on Shredder's face he was angry about something.

She frowned at the picture, she felt something wasn't right here... she felt that her father was lying to her some how. Looking back he had always been distant from her, but at the same time close...

This box was full of stuff, but what caught her eye laid at the bottom of the box...

Folded in half was a sheet of paper, a document, she read it over and froze.

_In the lair..._

Donatello had retreated to his lab after his melt down in his room, looking over his notes he kept thinking _where did I go wrong?_

He was so into reading he did not hear his father enter the room.

"Donatello?"

Donnie jumped in his seat and looked up at his father as he came in.

"Splinter... S-sorry am I late for practice?"

Splinter shook his head and told his son.

"No, remember we already did that today? What has you so preoccupied my son?"

Donatello looked down at his papers on his desk, should he tell him what was really on his mind? Or keep it to him self?

"Donatello? My son."

Splinter pulled up the stool near by and continued softly.

"You can tell me anything my son and I will listen."

Donnie looked down at the desk top again, not allowing his father to see the tears of shame welling up in his brown eyes.

Splinter took one hand and put it under his son's chin guiding him to look into his eyes.

"Donatello?"

Donnie looked down at the papers then back at his father once again.

"I don't understand, it should have worked... what did I do wrong?"

Splinter put his hand on his son's and said softly.

"You did nothing wrong my son, you are not at fault here. I told you it was OK if it did not work, we expected this to happen. Do you remember what we had talked about? How it has been 15 years since we became mutants. It may not stick because of how long we have been mutated."

Donnie looked down again and felt the same feelings of guilt wash over him.

Splinter straightened up in his seat and said in a stern voice.

"Donatello. I believe I told you not to blame your self, and here you are wallowing in self pity. I raised you better then this. What more do I have to say to make you believe that this was not your fault?"

Donatello swallowed hard, he knew that voice, his father was getting low on patience with him. He had heard it often as a child and rarely as a teenager.

"What about Shen? Father, I wanted to make you both happy, you both deserve it. You have done so much for the four of us... I just... I just wanted to do something nice for you..."

Splinter gave his genius son a smile of gratitude and said.

"Donatello, the last few weeks have made me the happiest man on earth. I am so proud of what you were able to do. I always have been proud of your ability to care for others my son. You have a gift, there are not many people in this world that care as much as you do about others. Shen loves me no matter what I look like."

Donnie looked down, he knew his father was right, he just had to get his confidence back.

_Foot HQ..._

Karai could not believe what she was looking at... "It can't be... can it?"

She was staring at a photo of her mother, a birth certificate... and her as an infant... but the man with the arm around her mother was not Oroku Saki... it was...

"Karai! What are you doing in here!"

She turned quickly and saw none other then Shredder standing there.

"Father... I thought you were not coming home for another few weeks?"

Shredder walked up to his daughter and saw what she was holding.

"How dare you come into my private chambers. And go through my things!"

Taking her by the arm, she jumped and dropped the picture and documents to the ground. She was then dragged out of his chambers and down the hall. Throwing her into her room he said to her.

"You will be dealt with shortly my daughter, you are no longer my second in command. You have failed time and again to capture those turtles! And Splinter!"

Slamming the door shut he stormed back to his chambers, picking up the photo he said aloud to the room.

"She knows, but to keep her here with me I will do anything."

A voice from the shadows answered him.

"And what are you willing to do master?"

Shredder turned and saw his newest worrier come from the shadows. A large tiger loaded with gear, along with a jet-pack strapped to his back.

Shredder smiled evilly behind his metal mask and said to his newest worrier.

"When the time is right, she will be thrown in the dungeon for her crimes of not bringing me the Homato Family. What I want you to do is take an army of Foot out into the City, do not come back with out Tang Shen, Splinter or Donatello."

The worrier known as Tiger Claw, asked curiously.

"Why that particular turtle? I thought you told me it was the blue one? Leonardo?"

Shredder walked towards him and said.

"Yes, that is true... but, Donatello knows how to make anti mutagen... he will make it for me, weather he likes it or not."

Tiger Claw gave a low growl that resembled a cat's purr as he bowed to his new master and left the room.

Shredder smiled evilly at the photo in his hands and said to it.

"You will soon be mine..."

* * *

**A/N: **Tiger Claw's introduction to the Foot clan will be made in the next chapter. Again I am NOT going by the show's episodes. Read and Review.** NO FLAMES, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ONLY!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **I got creative with Karai's birth records. I have no idea what a foreign birth certificate looks like. Or even how they document births in Japan. Since we do not no her actual birthday I just gave her mine for he hell of it. Although I was not born in 1996... I was born 14 years before that. And birthdays of my own parents... again not the correct years.

Just keep in mind with the year I choose for her birth year, the turtles never seem to age. They stay 15 no matter what year it is. Heck in a 2015 episode Mikey said he was 15... and the show had been on for some time now. To top it all off Casey mentions a year ago back in 2014 talking about the show down. So do not judge me by the year I have choosen for her birth.

**A/N2: **Thank you **Dpfanboy **for letting me know about my spelling error. I was unaware that I was spelling his name wrong. I corrected it in this chapter.

* * *

Karai paced around her room after hearing the lock be turned on the opposite side of the door, she knew that Shredder was mad, furious even. But she was just as angry when she pulled the sheet of paper from her belt. That was one thing she tucked away when Shredder startled her.

Opening the folded paper she saw the dark spots where it looked like smoke had once damaged it, on it, it read:

Mother: Tang Shen

DOB: 24 February 1967

Father: Hamato Yoshi

DOB: 24 July 1962

Family name: Hamato

DOB: 21 April 1996

Child's name: Hamato Miwa

Place of birth: Tokyo Japan

She let the paper drop to the ground, her brown eyes went wide, _H__a__mato Yoshi is... my father? But how?_

She looked down at the paper that still was face up on the ground, she read it over several times, looking for a typo. But there wasn't one. So if Shredder wasn't her father... how did? How did she come to live with him? What happened all those years ago?

She now had questions but no one to answer them. She looked around her darkened room for an exit, she had to get answers. If Shredder was not her father then... that means he. He lied to her. She had been living with the enemy. Her mother had died years ago, she had no mother to tell her everything would be alright.

She also realized that the turtles, were her brothers.

Karai bent down and picked up the dropped paper and held it up again. _What if this was wrong? What if this Miwa wasn't me? What if it was truly a baby that died in the fire? Along with mom? Why am I thinking that this child is me?_

With the new thought in mind she tried to think that she just over reacted, she hid the paper in the drawer of her desk by the window. _So Yoshi and my mother were married? That still doesn't mean? Could it?_

She walked into her bathroom in her room and took a long hot shower washing her makup off and getting freshened up. After toweling off she put on black jeans, with a dark gray nearly black tee shirt. Pulling out a black hoody out of her closet she set out to escape out her bedroom window.

Opening it up she used her grappeling hook that she hid behind her desk and slipped out the window and into the night like a shadow.

Little did she know she set off the silent alarm that was triggered to go off if a window was opened...

Tiger Claw flew through the air with his jet-pack, he had just received word from Shredder that Karai had run off. He looked to the ground but saw nothing there, he wondered if she would be out looking for the turtles as well?

Karai saw the over size cat flying through the air, she wondered how this cat could be the knew second in command?

_Hours earlier..._

Shredder had just arrived back from his trip with his new worrier in toe, he saw all his henchman but did not see his daughter. Xever looked at the new addition and said.

"So? There is a new mutant in town eh?"

Shredder stood tall at his throne and said.

"Yes Xever, this is Tiger Claw, he is the most feared assasin in all of Asia. He is my knew second in command."

Bradford and Xever began to snicker at each other, Shredder narrowed his eyes and asked hotly.

"What is so funny?"

Bradford spoke first.

"Karai is going to be pissed that she has to step down."

Shredder told him quickly.

"She has failed me too many times, I want results, she is too caught up in the turtles being close to her age. She toys with them, but never delivers. She has allowed them to escape multiple times, she had the red turtle where she could easily have beat him but let him escape. Well no more, we are not here to play games. Vengance will be mine, and I do not care who gets hurt in the proccess."

Bradford and Xever looked at each other then back to Shredder, Bradford asked hesatantly.

"So what are your plans for Karai?"

Shredder looked at them and said seriously.

"She will get what's coming to her, I am not done yet."

Again the two looked at each other before becoming silent as they watched their master walk back to his throne. Sitting down in his seat he said.

"Now, leave me. And do not come back with out Shen! And that blasted turtle!"

Bradford looked at Xever as they exited the thrown room, they didn't say anything until they left the room. Once out of ear shot Xever asked.

"What does he want that stupid turtle for?"

Bradford told him honestly.

"Something to do with mutagen. But how does something that has lived in the sewers all its life know how to make that stuff?"

Xever shrugged as they gathered footbots and headed out of the building.

_Empty ally not far from the turtle's normal manhole cover..._

Karai hid behind the dumpster as she saw Tiger Claw fly over head again, she wondered why she was letting those documents bother her so much. But that photo... she could not help but notice how happy they looked in the picture. She had to find answers.

As soon as Tiger Claw was out of sight she lifted the cover off and slipped into the sewers, she knew the turtles lived some where down here but she didn't know where. If she looked long enough she would find them.

She thought about something first... she patted down her body and felt something solid in her jacket pocket. Putting her hand in she lifted out a small device with a blinking red light, a tracker. She cursed her self for allowing Shredder to slip a tracking device on her. Taking it in her grip she held it tight till her knuckles were tight. Closing her eyes she remembered what he was going to do to her, he was going to throw her in the dungeon, like yesterdays trash... she couldn't believe that some one who has raised her for 16 years could do that to her... her fights with the turtles were becoming less amusing, she found her self forcing her self to think of them as enemies. But she just couldn't...

She raised her arm back and looked down at the swirling water below, she threw the device into the water and ran as fast as she could away from the area. She knew the lair had to be some where.

It felt like an eternity when she came across some old subway tracks.

"_Their Shellraiser runs on the tracks."_

She remembered from the time Leo saved her, she followed them until she saw a light up ahead, she saw a mass of steps then the turnstile. One wouldn't work so she jumped over it.

She hid when she heard some one coming.

"Leo I ain't mad no more just leave me the hell alone!"

She peaked out and saw Raph and Leo arguing, seeing the frustration lines on Leo's face made her wonder what she just walked in on.

Leo rubbed the top of his head in frustration and spun around.

"Raph, I know what happened earlier was frustaiting but even you have to talk to some one about it."

Raph stepped into Leo's space and got in his face.

"Ya want me ta be happy bout the fact that Splinter couldn't stay human for long? Or the fact that Shen is crying her eyes out right now in the kitchen because this whole damn things upset her! If ya ask me your being insensetive!"

Leo tilted his head back and snapped it back forward and said.

"Raph, come on, would you for once get your head outta your ass? I do care about them, for the love of everything they are our parents! Of course I am worried about Shen, she lost her husband and child 16 years ago! And now she found her husband alive! Mutated, but alive none the less!"

Karai listened in, her eyes went wide when she heard them mention Shen, were they talking about... but... it's not possible. She is dead...

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a new voice, a feminin one coming into the room.

"Boys, what have I told you about fighting?"

She leaned around the edge of the wall and saw her, the woman from the picture... only she was older now, slimmer. Karai felt tears come to her eyes, she knew this was her mother.

Leo and Raph stopped their argument when Shen walked in, her face was stained from tears as she spoke to them. They both bowed their heads and Raph said to her.

"Sorry. We are just upset because of what happened earlier."

Shen put a hand on his shoulder and told him gently.

"I know Raphael, I am too. Do you know where Donatello is? He is not in his lab?"

Leo told her with his head still down, in a soft voice.

"He went to his room, Splinter's in there talking to him now... he told me to go talk to Mikey but... Mikey's door is locked, and he won't open it."

Shen nodded and then said.

"Ok, please do not fight any more today boys. I do not think it is going to help any one right..."

She paused, from where the three were standing she could hear a faint gasp. Leo and Raph looked around alert when Shen stopped talking. Shen put her hand on Raph's shoulder and said.

"Get your father, we have an intruder."

Leo spun on his heal and headed to his brother's room in a hurry. Not bothering to knock he opened the door to find his father and brother sitting down talking.

"Sorry to barge in, but we have an intruder."

Splinter was on his feet in a heartbeat and followed his eldest son out of Donnie's room and to the living room. They all looked at Raphael who had Karai by the arm holding her still as she struggled in panic of being caught by her 'enemies'.

"Sensei look what I found."

Karai struggled in Raphael's grip, he held her tighter but didn't try too hard to get free.

"Wait Raphael listen to me! Please. All of you!"

Splinter had a deep frown on his face as he walked up to Raphael and Karai.

"How did you find this place?"

When Karai didn't answer right away Raphael shook her arm roughly and said.

"You answer him when he asks you a question!"

Shen could see how genuinely scared the girl was and said to Raphael.

"Raphael, let her go, she will not escape."

Raph looked between Karai and Shen and let go of Karai but steped closer when she moved away.

Shen walked over to the young girl and asked.

"Lets start over, what is your name?"

Karai looked up at her, she could feel tears forming in her eyes again as she answered.

"Oroku Karai... or at least that is what I THOUGHT my name was... now I'm not so sure."

Leonardo had never heard their enemy speak in this tone before, never seen her so upset or scared, something must have happened for her to go out looking for them.

"Karai, what happened? Why do you doubt your self? Why did you come looking for us down here?"

Karai put her hands nervously behind her back and swayed slightly as she spoke to them.

"Shredder... he, found a new second in command... he was going to throw me into the dungeon... right now he is probably looking for me."

Raph raised his brow and commented.

"So you ran away because you were replaced? Why?"

Karai looked into his green eyes and said.

"Because I failed... I failed him and he knew it..."

Shen put her hand on the young girl's shoulder and asked gently.

"How did you fail him?"

She looked down at the floor, she was silent for several moments before telling them.

"Because... I... have more honor then he does... when um... I would fight the turtles... I never once defeated them... I may win a battle yes, but never would I hurt them bad enough to leave lasting damage. He knew I went easy on them too many times... he punished me for not capturing Raphael when they rescued you, Donatello and Michelangelo... I didn't try very hard to defeat him... I more or less slowed him down. Shredder knew... and even now he has Tiger Claw, his new worrier, out looking for you all. Shredder had planted a tracking device on me, I found it quite a ways back in my pocket and threw it into the sewer water."

Donnie looked at her and could tell she was telling them the truth, he asked.

"So why us? Why did you come looking?"

Karai looked into his eyes next and said.

"I needed answers... to my questions... there was no way I could go to Shredder."

Splinter frowned and stepped forward, he placed his hands on her shoulders making her look up at him.

"What answers Karai?"

She spoke softly with tears in her eyes as she spoke to him.

"I-I found some papers in his chamber... one was my birth certificate... attached to it was a photo, I left the paper behind when I dropped it back in my room. But I have the photo."

She reached into her pocket and lifted out a photo that made Splinter gasp, he took it from her with shaking hands and looked between the photo and Karai.

Leo saw his father's knees buckle, he quickly got Donnie's desk chair and put it under his father before he fell.

Splinter had tears in his eyes as his knees gave out and he sat down hard on the computer chair, he looked over at Shen and said to her in a hoarse voice.

"I-it's her... Miwa..."

With shaking hands he handed the photo over to his wife, who had tears of her own in her eyes. She put a hand over her mouth and chocked a sob before saying.

"She's alive..."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait guys, May was a crazy month and so far June has been too. Translations are at the bottom for anything written in Japanese.

* * *

Every one was in complete shock over the news that Karai was Shen and Splinter's long lost daughter. Raph had a deep frown on his face, he kept thinking that this was a trap.

"Master Splinter? Shen, what if this is a trap? What if Shredder planned this by making a duplicate of the photo we have in the dojo? This is the same photo; was there ever a second made?"

Splinter turned to look at his son and explained.

"Raphael, I understand your concern, but in Japan you have to have a family photo attached to the birth certificate for birth records. Even for marriage records you have to have a photo as a document for records. You are not allowed to make duplicates of photos. If you look closely this photo is different from the one in the dojo my son, this one Miwa was a newborn; she was just about three or four days old. In the other one she was about 2 months or so old." **(correct me if I am wrong about this guys, I was trying to do research and I thought that is what I read about Japanese legal documents, ****it's the way I understood it at least.****)**

Raph frowned, he wasn't sure about that, but he couldn't really argue since he knew nothing about legal documents in Japan. And he took a second look and sure enough this was a younger baby then the one in the dojo.

"Why did Shredder allow you to go into his quarters anyway? Did he want you to find this?"

Karai shook her head and told him.

"He was out of the country. I snuck in there, I knew something was going on but I had no idea what. He was being super secritive and would not allow me to be in on conversations anymore."

Raph looked at her with a serious expression on his face and asked.

"Did you know about Shen being in town?"

Karai looked down at the ground and shook her head.

"No, I, I only knew Shredder had captured Donatello and Michelangelo... if I had known that she was in the dungeon too... then I would have let you all go..."

Shen asked her daughter.

"How long have you felt this way?"

Karai looked over at her mother and told her softly.

"At least the last month or so... I know Shredder has no honor... it has always bugged me... he punished me pretty bad when I let Raphael win our fight... I couldn't help but think that, that I didn't belong. Does that make sense?"

"Not really." Came Raph's gruff reply.

Splinter shot him a warning look and told his daughter.

"Karai, you are welcome to stay here..."

"WHAT! Sensei, she was raised by Shredder! How can we trust her! She is a trained kunoichi! She has probably been training since she was old enough to walk!"

"Raphael!" Splinter was staring at him hard, he knew the look all too well, he was in trouble.

Splinter stood up and approached his second eldest son and said.

"I would like a word with you." He pointed to the dojo and Raph lowered his head and walked away with his father following behind him.

Splinter was trying a knew form of parenting, thanks to Shen, he was no longer supposed to berate his children in front of each other. If he had to discipline one then he had to take the one in trouble in private and have a talk with them.

He only had to a couple of times but it seemed more effective this way, he had most of the time been taking them privately but allowed the others to listen in or even be present. That was before Shen came into their lives, now things were different.

Once in the dojo Splinter shut the door and turned to his hot headed son.

"Raphael, I hear what you are trying to say, but the fact is, she came to find us. For help, we need to hear her out."

Raph looked up at his father, with determination set in his sea green eyes.

"Father, I get it she is your daughter... but, its, just that she was raised by Shredder! She was trained to..."

Splinter put a hand up cutting him off.

"I am aware of what a kunoichi is trained for my son, I know what she could be capable of. That is why we will use caution, but I will not turn her away if she is coming to us for help."

Raph could feel the old feelings of anger creep up inside of him, he knew it was wrong to have that kunoichi here... he knew it, he didn't want her in their home.

Splinter could see the battle raging in his son's eyes and said.

"Raphael, I know you are worried about this family, you have always been the protector of your brothers. But son, right now let me handle this OK? I know she is a trained kunoichi, and that alone worries me as well. But she is my daughter... if it had been one of the four of you, I would still take you in even though you would be raised by the enemy."

Raph looked up at his father and met his eyes.

"What if it was me? Would you take me in even if I was raised by Shredder?"

Splinter put his hand on his sons shoulder and said genuinely.

"Raphael, I said if it had been ANY of you four, that includes you my son, why would you think I would turn you away?"

Raph realized he started to reveal the other reason behind his temper, he turned his head away and remained silent.

Splinter put his hand under Raph's chin and made his son look at him.

"Raphael, have I ever given you a reason to think this way?"

He did it now, he opened up a can of worms he wanted to stay shut, this conversation went from his worry about Karai being a trained kunoichi living in the lair, to his temper problem.

Both father and son looked into each others eyes, Raph knew he wasn't getting out of this one, he had to tell his father the truth.

"Its... jus that... I cause so much trouble all the time... even when I try and control my temper... something happens and I loose control again... like earlier with Leo, we were fighting before Shen broke it up and them Leo sensed Karai..."

"That does not answer my question my son."

A firm hand kept his face looking up as Raphael said softly.

"No, you never have..."

"Then why do you think I would turn you away? Because of your temper? Raphael, when I was your age I had a nasty temper too, my father scolded me constantly and was always on my case about it. Until the day came when I moved out on my own. Even when I met Shen I still had little to no control over it... in the end I had lost everything. But one thing was certain, my father never turned me away, he show patience. The same patience I have always showed you."

Raph felt tears welling up in his eyes as he spoke.

"But I frustrate you... I can see it... I do try hard dad... but it's so hard when..."

He paused, Shen had told him when he is describing what makes him angry to never put blame on others for it.

"Its hard when others make you angry."

Splinter was silent for a moment before saying.

"Do I make you angry?"

Raphael looked down at the floor again when Splinter moved his hand, he didn't know how to answer that, his father has never truly made him mad per say but has frustrated him at times.

"No, not angry... just get frustrated some times."

Splinter was silent for a moment, this was one of the rare times he could get Raphael to open up with out a yelling match following.

"How do I frustrate you?"

Seeing the worried look in Raphael's eyes Splinter said reassuringly.

"I will not judge you my son, just tell the truth."

Raph looked up once again at his father and then said quietly.

"When you berate me in front of the others... when I make a mistake and you get on to me in front of them. Mikey and Donnie laugh at me and then that's when I loose control. You don't stop them from teasing me, I tell them to shut up and stop but they never do. Donnie does only because he doesn't want me to beat him up. Mikey... I feel like you favor him and Leo more then me or Donnie some times."

The truth was there on the table.

"Does Donatello feel this way as well?"

Raph shook his head slowly.

"He's never talked to me about it if he does."

"Do you feel that things will change now that Karai has chosen our side?"

Raph just looked down and didn't say a word.

Splinter made his son look at him again and said sharply but in a gentle voice.

"Let me make something very clear here Raphael, I do not favor my children. Yes Leonardo gets more attention, but remember, he is the leader. I have to teach him how to be a good one, and private lessons have to take effect for this. You see, he may be the leader but I am his mentor, I have to guide him when he feels lost. And as far as Karai is concerned, I will be watching her very closely, my trust is not 100% there either. That is something that will have to be earned in time, she has to show me that she is not here for the wrong reasons. As far as Michelangelo is concerned, I have to keep a close eye on him, I always have. He does dangerous things that can get him self hurt, he has no fear of danger. It has always been there... ever since he was a baby. I nearly lost him once when he was one year old, and since that day I have made it my mission to keep him safe at all cost. I am sorry that you feel or get the impression that I favor him, but he has challenges that need attention."

Raph frowned and asked.

"What happened?"

Splinter had a far away look in his eyes at the memory.

"I was making lunch... you four were put in the pit area. Only Donatello could climb those steps, but any time he did he always came and stayed where ever I was never wandering off. Michelangelo got brave one day and followed Donatello apparently, and instead of following him all the way to me he choose to explore by the water's edge... it was the first time Donatello spoke, he shouted your brother's name and crawled quickly out of the kitchen. I followed him and found Michelangelo face down in the water. I picked him up and there was next to no life in him..."

Splinter paused for a moment as a tear formed in his eyes, he had never told this story, and it was painful to remember he nearly lost another child...

"I began to do CPR, something I learned from a book I had read a while back when Miwa was born, it was harder to do on a turtle. But I was desperate to try, Donatello was at my side crying... after a few moments Michelangelo began to cough, and soon after he began to cry as well. I was scared that I had lost him... that I had lost another child... after that I made a barricade around the pool until you all were old enough for me to teach you how to swim. I thought because you all are turtles that it would be a natural born instinct to swim... but its different with mutants apparently... like human children you had to be taught."

Raph looked away for a moment, he understood now why his father watched over his youngest brother so closely he probably would too if he was a father and nearly lost a child that young. Deciding to switch the conversation he said.

"What are we going to do about Karai?"

"We will treat her with respect, the way for her to earn our trust and respect is if we show it in turn. But just remain cautious, we do not know her intentions yet."

"What about Shen? She's trusting her already."

"I will speak with her, what ever you do, do not talk to Shen about Karai in a negative way. Remember I am not the only one that lost a child 16 years ago, women are more sensitive when it comes to loosing a child and then finding them again."

Raph nodded and said.

"Hai Sensei, I promise. But it doesn't mean I have ta like it. Am I in trouble for what I said out there?"

Splinter thought about it, then said to his son.

"You spoke out of fear and worry for our family. I can not punish you for that, but it was disrespectful of you to speak in such a manner. I wish for you to apologize for this. If your brother's give you any grief then I will deal with them."

Raph nodded and said.

"Hai Sensei."

Splinter followed his second eldest out of the dojo, Mikey was half laying across the bean bag chair and saw them come out.

"ooooohhhhh Raph's in trouble! Hahahaha!"

Splinter gave his youngest a warning glare before walking over to his wife and daughter with Raphael in toe. Raph looked up at his father one more time before saying.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, it was rude."

Karai gave him a half smile and knew right away that Splinter had made him apologize.

"It's OK Raphael, if our roles were reversed I'm sure I would have said the same thing. We are a lot alike as far as our short fuse, it will take time but I will show that you can trust me. Heck I am going to have to learn to trust you guys too, we have been declared sworn enemy's for some time now."

Raph looked between his three family members around him and said.

"I know, and... um... thanks for letting me go back there at Shredder's... come to think of it that was too easy..."

She smirked and said.

"Wait till we spar then we will see if I go easy a second time."

Raph lit up at the sound of a challenge and said half excited.

"Your on."

Splinter and Shen looked at their children then at each other, they knew that there would be some challenges, but at least the most temperamental turtle of the four was making an effort to get along.

That night after every one went to bed, Raphael could not shake the feeling that something was not right... for a while he went out to the living room and punched the bag, then went to lay back down.

Raphael could not shake the feeling, that everything was going way to easily. There lair was hard to find... so how did she get here so fast like that? Getting up he decided he needed to talk to Karai.

Going down the hall to the dojo where Karai was staying temporarily he saw her sleeping form, he whispered.

"Karai? Hey."

She rolled over and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"What do you want now Raphael?"

He chuckled softly and said.

"Grouchy when woken up... OK any way I have a question for you."

Karai sat up and said.

"What?"

"How did you find us? We are not that easy to find..."

Karai looked to her parents room before standing up and motioned for Raph to follow her. She lead him to the living room. She knew eventually some one would ask.

"I have a confession to make. After you guys rescued me before from falling you know... well... I may have followed you back here..."

Raph could feel his anger raise, he balled his hands into fists and said.

"You what!"

Putting her hands up in defense she said.

"Raph no, hear me out before you tell the others. I was at first spying for Shredder trying to find out where you guys lived. But then I decided to follow you guys. It wasn't the only time I followed you... when I had to lead the foot to attack Michelangelo I placed a homing device on him knowing how to locate you guys. I knew you would try and rescue him and Donatello so I set the tracking device to go to my cell phone."

Raph let out a frustrated breath and said to her hotly.

"So your telling me, that you have known where our lair is!"

Karai kept her hands up and said to him.

"Please quiet down, and yes. But I never told any one... I kept it a secret I swear!"

Raph frowned at her and told her.

"What other secrets are you hiding? Huh? Seems like your not running short!"

Giving the hot tempered turtle a worried look she told him.

"Look Raphael, I know what I did was wrong but please..."

"So what did you hope to gain?" He cut her off and continued.

"So what was your master plan? Huh? You were gonna use our location as leverage for a future fight? Gonna tell Shredder the minute that you have us cornered? You had better give me one hell of a good reason not to tell Splinter right now!"

"Tell Splinter what?"

They both turned around to find Splinter standing there with his hands on his hips looking very angry.

Raph lost his temper and said quickly before thinking.

"Sensei, Karai knew where our lair was! She followed us several times!"

Splinter held up a hand to silence him and said.

"Enough, you are not 5 Raphael, I did not tolerate tattling back then and I will not tolerate it now. Now tell me as the teenager you are, what is going on?"

Raphael still could not shake the anger in his body as he turned to face his father.

"She followed us, she told me that she followed us and had known for some time now! And I think she was planning on using that information to get to Shen!"

Splinter looked over at Karai who was watching Raphael with pure anger in her eyes.

"Karai? Is this true? Did you really follow the turtles?"

Karai looked down at the cement ground not knowing what to say or do next, she had in fact followed the turtles but not to the extent of exposing them to the enemy.

"Yes, but not for the reasons Raphael thinks... I have been second guessing Shredder for some time now and I knew I would... I would need a place to go."

Raphael stepped dangerously close to her and said hotly.

"So ya thought you'd just come here? And we would accept you with open arms! You were raised by Shredder! How can we ever trust you!"

Karai shrugged and looked up at Splinter who moved directly in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders he said gently.

"Karai, I know that it was hard for you to come here, but you must know Raphael has a point, to earn our trust is to show it. No more secrets. Watashi wa kuria shite imasu?"

Karai looked between her father and Raph, she let out a long breath before saying.

"Hai, Chichi, Kanzen ni tomei."

After a moment of silence Karai spoke again only in English.

"I-I would like to talk to every one in the morning... there is something you all should know... if you don't already."

Raph started to step forward again but Splinter stopped him by saying to his daughter.

"OK, before practice in the morning we will have a family meeting."

Karai nodded slowly and could not meet Raphael's greet eyes, but she could feel the way they bore in to her. She could tell he was angry with her, but then she knew anger was a part of him.

Splinter started to walk away and told his children.

"You both should go back to bed it is still too early to be up."

He receive a Hai from both of them before nodded that they would listen and went back to his room. Splinter stood in the dojo door way and watched his children, Raphael's eyes were looking angrily at Karai while she was still looking down at the floor where he left her.

"Beddo ima!"

The two teens jumped and Karai quickly walked towards the dojo while Raphael all but ran to his room, Splinter heard Raphael's door slam shut as Karai walked up to him.

"I'm sorry father, I should have told you my self earlier..."

"Do not worry Karai, now go back to bed."

Karai laid there and tossed and turned the rest of the night, the following morning she was the first to enter the kitchen, she knew the conversation she was about to have was going to be difficult.

* * *

**Beddo ima- **Bed Now!

**Watashi wa kuria shite imasu- **am I clear?

**Kanzen ni tomei- **Perfectly Clear.

**Chichi- **Father


	16. Chapter 16

Karai could not sleep at all the rest of the night. She knew what she had to say to the turtles and her parents were going to anger them. They already didn't trust her – even her own father seemed to walk on broken glass whenever she was around. This would only be the grand cherry on top.

But somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it was only because of her status, or rather her status as second-in-command to the Foot Clan. To them it was like speaking to the devil's daughter, and she couldn't exactly blame them. But it was nice to think that their behavior regarding her, though, was nothing too personal.

With that thought, Karai willed herself to relax, sinking into the mattress like a stone. Although her breathing came easier and her thoughts were less hectic, the self-given reassurances couldn't help her bout of insomnia. After a quick glance, the clock on the wall read 5:40 am. No point in staring at the ceiling any longer.

Jaw working, Karai got up and shrugged on the clothes April brought down for her. It matched her style: dark jeans, with a white under shirt and a black-hooded long sleeve jacket. As she straightened out the wrinkles she vaguely wondered when her parents would be up, but the thought was quickly dismissed. There were bigger things to think about. Such as what to even say to her family.

She knew all of Shredder's plans, especially now that she was sure he was hunting for her. Frosty fingers of fear crept up her spine as her mind recalled the plans Shredder had for Donatello. There was no doubt that if he ever got captured, there was going to be blood shed to get him back.

Careful of the creaking wooden floors, she walked out of the dojo and headed to the bathroom. The cold water was refreshing on her face, and as droplets rolled down her nose and off her chin, Karai looked into the mirror. It was cracked in the corner, but only a little bit, and her reflection looked as lost as she felt.

"… Am I doing the right thing?" she murmured softly."Should I really tell them everything?"

It wasn't really a surprise when no answer came, and Karai bit back a sigh of frustration as she dried her face off with a spare towel. She flicked the light switch off as she left the room, stepping out into the hall. Her feet had barely taken three steps before she saw Leo heading towards the kitchen, his footsteps just as quiet as hers.

Karai stopped mid-stride, watching him disappear through the doorway. There was something about him that made her more comfortable than the others did. There was a rebellious and defiant side of him that refused to surface, content with just boiling beneath his stoic leader-act, but she knew it was there. How she did, she'd never know. Maybe once this madness was sorted out, she could get to understand him, and everyone else, more.

She trailed Leo to the kitchen, the heavy smell of pancakes perfuming the air. Her stomach released an indignant growl. She hardly remembered the last time she had pancakes. Shredder never allowed such things in his 'home', and although it was a fairly stupid rule, Karai couldn't exactly speak out about it. Second in command wasn't all that it's made up to be.

On the counter sat a small yet growing stack of pancakes, a plate of sausage and bacon, and a bowl of scrambled eggs. They lined the counter top, a row of rare treats which she was ever allowed to have. Shredder had always kept her on a vegetarian diet; he told her once that a true ninja could not eat such foods, as it would make you fat and slow.

Her mouth watered as she pulled out a chair and sat at the table. So focused on the tasty delectables held right underneath her nose, Karai failed to notice Mikey at the stove, quietly whistling away as he flipped the pancakes. It wasn't until he turned to look at her did she finally snap out of her stupor.

"So, how many cakes d'ya want?" He asked in form of greeting.

It was a simple question, but Karai paused nonetheless. How many did she want? They looked pretty big, almost the size of her hand, but she didn't exactly know how many she could handle. Wasting food would be a shame.

"I, uh, I've have never had them before, so..."

Leo stopped mid-reach for a tea cup and looked over his shoulder with wide eyes. "You've never had pancakes before? And you're 16?"

"I was never allowed to have anything with fat in it," she explained. "Shredder... he told me that it would make me a worse kunoichi."

Mikey smiled widely and snatched a clean plate off the counter. Before long it was piled high with pancakes and bacon, as well as a couple of eggs and some sausage. He laid the syrup on the table along with butter and set the plate in front of Karai like a trophy.

"Then you will enjoy this!" he exclaimed. "A hearty, big girl breakfast! For champions."

Karai smiled in amusement and Leo rolled his eyes as Splinter and Raph entered the kitchen to witness the youngest's bravado. As he passed by, Raph hit his little brother upside the head.

"If she's vegetarian then she ain't gonna wanna eat that junk, you idiot."

Mikey stuck his tongue out at his hotheaded brother in retaliation. Karai smiled at the action, but it faded as she regarded each one of them quietly.

"That was my old life," she said. "I should learn to try new things. It might help me adjust."

"We have some fruit if you do not have the taste for it," Splinter advised.

Karai bowed her head respectfully. "Thank you for your hospitality. I'm not very hungry, but I will eat as much of this as I can."

Splinter looked as if he wanted to push the point, but was cut short as Tang Shen and Donnie entered the kitchen. Almost like clockwork Raph turned from where he was fixing his plate to hand Donnie a cup of coffee, knowing that if his little brother didn't have his morning cup before this 'talk' of Karai's, then he would be moody all morning, if not for the rest of the day.

Groggy but satisfied, Donnie sat down near Karai and sipped his coffee.

"Morning," he slurred.

She could tell by the foreboding bags under his eyes that he'd been up most of the night. For a few peaceful moments she watched him as he sipped his coffee, and then looked over at her mother.

"Mom..." she began, but trailed away due to a loss for words. She was afraid that it had all been a dream seeing her mother, alive, after being told she had been dead all of her life. It was utterly unbelievable, but nothing she would trade for the world.

Looking around at her newfound family Karai could not help but wonder what was happening above ground. Probably chaos and war, for all she knew. But she was pulled from her thoughts by a clinking of a cup being placed in front of her. Karai looked up and saw her father's soft eyes smiling at her.

"It is alright, Karai..."

She shook her head. "Just call me Miwa," she requested quietly. "Karai is part of my old life. I don't want to be reminded of it any more than I have to."

Raph put his plate down next to Leo's, and Splinter took his seat beside his wife. As Mikey settled down as well, Splinter told her, "You may speak whenever you're ready, my daughter."

Her stomach flip and flopped, twisted and turned, and yet somehow Karai – Miwa – managed to nod and take a deep breath.

"Well, Shredder, as you know, raised me. I started training when I think I was four." She smirked. "It's funny, actually. He was kind and patient at first, but as I got older he became more... strict. There were countless times where he would brutally punish me if I messed up or didn't perform something fast enough. And when I turned thirteen, he told me that he was moving to New York, but I had to stay behind in Japan."

Tang Shen stared at her daughter in shock.

"You have been in Japan all this time?" she asked incredulously. "How did I not know?"

"We lived in Osaka, Japan, but he traveled to Tokyo often; he said it was for business, though I never had any idea what he was up to. He made me stay in Osaka while he moved here to America, but he never told me why he came here. Probably for 'business'. But then about six or seven months later he sent for me. I have been here ever since. His need for revenge, though, had me wondering what exactly the revenge was for – and who."

Miwa paused, took a soothing drink of her tea, then spoke again.

"After I begged him to tell me what was going on, he told me about what Homato did to you, mom. I believed him, for obvious reasons, but then... then things didn't add up. For the past year I started noticing things: I noticed the way Splinter fought Shredder; they were evenly matched. And later, even though he was weak, Splinter tried to tell me that Shredder was Oroku Saki, the man that was responsible for starting the fire years ago that took two people's lives."

She noticed her mother had something to say, but Splinter beat her to the punch.

"You and your mother."

Miwa nodded.

"Yes, my mother and I. But you see, I didn't know that I was Miwa. That's why things didn't add up. When you called me Miwa for the first time, I started to doubt myself. I started wondering why you did that, if you were just trying to get into my head. Then, yesterday afternoon, I was in Shredder's chambers and I... I found those papers, and I knew he'd been lying. When he came home and ordered for me to be locked in my room and moved to the dungeon later, I knew I had to escape. So I did. I needed answers, and I knew there was only one place I was going to get those."

"Here," Leo agreed. "But that still doesn't answer Raph's earlier question: Why did you follow us here so many times? And why did you not rat us out?"

Miwa looked down at her cold, untouched plate and stared at it for a long moment before finally answering.

"I had this feeling. I can't explain it, but when I would come this far I felt safe. Growing up I always felt I had to be on guard, and that someone was always there, always out to get me. But when I came here I felt safe for some reason." She looked up once more. "I've been here more times than the times I've told you about. You guys had no idea I was even here. The only reason I got caught last night was because I was shocked to learn that my mother was… alive. I had hidden behind that pillar who-knows-how-many times and was never caught, but I guess my crying attracted attention. But... there is also something you all should know. It concerns Donatello."

Everyone, including the very air, froze in a frigid concern as the young teen continued.

"Shredder has a plan to capture him, along with mom. And… and now me, too, if he's able to. I know he'll be after me. There's no doubt that I'm on his hit list, but my mother and Donatello are his top priority."

"What?" Donnie exclaimed, wide-eyed. "What does he want me for?"

"Well," Miwa began uncomfortably. "He needs more retro-mutagen, and he knows you know how to make it."

"Why?" Donnie pressed. "He has no mutants, unless he wants me to wipe out my own family! And I can tell you right now he'd have to kill me first! I would never-!"

"Donatello!"

Donnie jumped at the sound of Splinter's harsh tone, and glancing up confirmed the stern look he thought he'd see on his father's face. A chilling silence draped over the kitchen as both father and son studied one another for a long moment, but finally Donnie caved in.

"Sensei, I'm sorry, but I won't make something that could end this family's lives. You've already seen what that stuff can do, and I wouldn't dare to ever-"

Splinter held his hand up to silence him. "My son," he said gently, "you must understand that we will not allow him to capture you, and I know that you do not want to harm your family. We will do everything we can to keep you from that predicament."

Donnie wiped away his sweaty palms beneath the table. For the first time, he didn't know what to think. He knew the risks of making the retro mutagen; he saw what it did to his own father. What exactly did Shredder have planned?

"Kar – Miwa," he hastily corrected, "why does he want me to make it in the first place?"

Miwa gave him a tired, lost look. "He wants to mutate mom."

Mikey frowned. "Then unmutate her?" he asked. "Why? He has to know how bad it'll hurt the first time around, let alone the second time!"

It was an unspoken agreement that Mikey had a point, and Raph looked between his family members before uneasily asking, "So, what are his other secrets? Ya know he's gotta have some."

"That I am really not sure of." she answered sadly. "He left me in the dark about a lot of things going on. I only know about what he has planned for Donatello because I was lucky enough to overhear him talking."

"Wait a minute," Leo spoke up. "You were targeting him, too? Down at the docks, that night that you fought Raph and me?"

"That was because... well, I really don't know why, now that you mention it," Miwa answered. "Maybe because my fa- I mean, Shredder wanted him back after he escaped."

Splinter nodded. "I can see that, but I do not understand why he requires the retro-mutagen? He has no mutants. Why would he want a mutant to create something to undo mutations? That is what I do not understand."

Miwa shook her head in vain. "I never have understood his way of thinking."

Mikey looked around, taking in the stoic and depressed emotions plastered on everyone's faces, and decided he didn't like it.

"Maybe it was the lack of meaty fats in his diet?" he quipped. "I know for a fact – and experience! – that that could make a person go crazy!"

He got a round of chuckles out of that comment, but after it died down, the family couldn't stops their minds from wondering why Donatello was so vital to the Shredder. Of course, they all drew blanks, but the weight on their shoulders stayed for the rest of the day.

* * *

Beta Read by Pimino


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N**: Here's the next chapter folks! And for those of you who Love TMNT I have a group on FB called TMNT fan fiction. Where you can share your love for the turtle's fandom and post links to your stories so that you can get more readers. :)

Please Review.

* * *

Shredder paced his throne room, just having received word that his adopted daughter had escaped. He was furious that she now knew the truth behind who Splinter was, as he had never intended to tell her anything other than the lie he had told her all along. In the middle of his contemplation of the new development, Tiger Claw entered the room.

"Any sign of her?"

After bowing, Tiger Claw replied, trying to keep his nerves from showing in his voice.

"No Master. Despite the tracking device implanted in her, I cannot find her. I believe she must have found it and removed it."

Clenching his fists, the Shredder growled menacingly and spun to face the tiger who was bowed on one knee.

"Where could she have gone? She has nowhere other than here, she could not have left the city. There will be not rest until my daughter is found!"

As he finished his demands, Bradford and Xever entered the room. He turned his attention to them.

"You two will accompany Tiger Claw in finding my daughter! Starting NOW!"

After the three left to continue the search, the doors opened to reveal a tall, slim man. His black hair barely stood out in the dim lighting; the man readjusted the glasses on his face as he walked forward.

"Baxter Stockman, I assume you got my message?"

Shredder had plans that Karai did not know about, the creation of a mutant army, and even with her disappearance, the plan still had to move forward. If the inferior Hamato Yoshi could have his own team of mutants, then so could he. Evil plans had come to his mind and he had contacted Stockman, the man who could get him the large amounts of mutagen he would need. They had done business before, however Shredder kept his guard up as he did not fully trust the young scientist.

Stockman bowed nervously and told him.

Stockman bowed nervously, avoiding eye contact. "Yes sir, I am working with The Krang on getting more mutagen in my lab. Soon we will have enough to begin working on your plans."

Shredder thought for a moment before speaking to the younger man again.

"Did you get the DNA samples I requested?"

With a nod Stockman told him.

"Yes sir I did."

"What animals did you bring me the samples of?"

Stockman swallowed hard then said to him nervously.

"I brought you a rhinoceros, wort hog, snapping turtle, vulture, king snake, as well as a viper. I also got a wolf, gorilla, and a cheetah."

Grinning behind his helmet, Shredder thought of the possibilities. With the mutant army he had planned, he would destroy the turtles once and for all, the only thing he needed now were test subjects. In the middle of his contemplation, a thought crossed his mind.

"What about the other animal I asked you to find?"

Stockman swallowed hard, he had been unable to get his hands on it due to not being able to get into the Zoo that night. He knew Shredder would be angry at him, feeling sweat forming on his brow he said in a squeaky voice.

"Animal! uh... well... you see... I..."

Shredder's brow rose as he finished the sentence.

"Forgot? How could you forget! I primarily sent you after one specific animal! And then I ask for more and you forget even one! Get out of my sight! You had better come back with that animal or I will make your life a living hell!"

Baxter Stockman let out a shaky breath as he told him.

"Yes Master... I will get that for you immediately! Also do you want some human test subjects? Just any one at random?"

Shredder thought about it for a moment and then smiled evilly and said.

"Yes, at random, but make sure you use one teenage girl specifically for the special animal experimentation. April O'Neil, yes, I want to test it on her first to make sure there are no side effects. Then I want you to lead a team alongside Bradford and Xever to capture a turtle and Tang Shen."

Baxter turned his head up at the mention of the turtles and asked carefully.

"Which turtle?"

Shredder stepped down closer to him and said in a hate filled voice.

"The purple one, Donatello, I have plans for him. When he is captured, put him in a solitary cage in your lab, but do not harm him. If he gives you any trouble, inform me and I will subdue the boy."

Frowning Baxter asked.

"But he will be guarded by his brothers."

"I know that, you will have to separate them, get him alone. Or capture April O'Neil first and use her as bait."

Baxter hesitantly asked.

"Should I get him first? Or Shen?"

Shredder rolled his eyes and then said sternly.

"First the animal, then the girl, and after that Donatello. Shen will no doubt follow and finally Hamato Yoshi will fall by my hand. Each steps has to occur for the next to follow and if you do not understand that you may be lacking the intelligence you claim to have!"

Baxter raced from the room, sweat pouring down his face as his hands shook from the tension of the situation. Normally, nothing could shake him, but Shredder was an exception. Even if he was not in his metal armor, the man was one you did not want to have as your enemy.

Gathering a large group of food soldiers, he headed to the nearest zoo. He would extract the DNA for Shredder; however he wondered why the man who supposedly loved Shen would be willing to mutate her.

With the ninjas at his disposal, the night guards and security were easily disabled. He did not understand the man's thinking, however he was not in the position to question his master. He set forth to the lioness cage, knowing that a rat's deepest far was of cats. Splinter was no normal rat, so a special type of cat was required to bring him to his knees.

After tranquilizing the lioness and extracting enough blood to ensure success, he left the zoo to return to his lab. Sending out bots to find April O'Neil and ensure the trap was set was just the first step in the experiment, one that he couldn't wait to begin.


	18. Chapter 18

Donatello was working in his lab when there was a knock on the door, turning from where he was sitting on the floor he saw Shen step inside.

"Is this a bad time?"

He put his wrench down and fully stood up.

"No, it's OK. I tinker when I am nervous."

Shen pulled over a stool and sat near the young turtle.

"You don't have to stop on my account honey. I was just checking on you, you seemed very upset this morning."

Bending down he picked up his wrench and began working on the bike he was building for Raph, he felt they would need an extra vehicle since Raph liked going off on his own so much.

"I'm fine... I just don't understand why he wants me? I mean...he has no mutants, why does he need my retro mutagen? Unless he wants to use it on us? But what good would that do?"

He was rambling, he knew it, but Shen wanted to know what was on his mind, and if he was alright; the truth was, he was terrified. He did not want to get captured, none of them did.

Shen gently put a hand on his shell and said soothingly.

"Donatello, it's alright to be afraid, fear can bring out the best in us."

Squatting down to work on a lower part of the motor he half turned in her direction.

"How? I always thought fear was a distraction?"

"Is that was Yoshi taught you? Or what you believe?"

Looking down at the floor he said softly shrugging his shoulders.

"Its how I feel... I mean nothing good ever comes from fear."

Shen spoke softly as she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Donatello, fear can be used as a tool, think about it, you will be more vigilant knowing that Shredder is out there after you. You will know where he is likely going to try and find you, thus you can avoid the places he knows where you would likely go."

He looked into her brown eyes and saw the worry there, he knew she was scared too.

"Why are you not scared? He is after you too."

She gave him a soft smile before telling him.

"I am honey, but you see by trying to protect you and your siblings, I can focus my fear on something else."

Donnie stood back up and thought about what she said, he knew she was right, he had to focus on something other then his growing fear of being captured. He was trying to focus on the bike he was working on, but his thoughts drifted to who the bike was for then wandered back to what was going on around him. He knew his new found mother was correct about fear, and ways to get around it, so he asked her timidly.

"C-can I ask you a question?"

Smiling at him she said.

"Yes."

Hesitating he asked softly and carefully.

"Were you scared when you found out that Sp- I mean Yoshi was missing? And presumed dead? Along with Miwa?"

Tang Shen had been expecting this question from any one of the turtles, but, none of them were brave enough to ask.

"Yes, I was... when I woke up in the hospital a nurse had informed me that no body was found, and that the authorities were looking for him and Miwa... they were also blaming him for the fire. As soon as I got out of the hospital I went to the police and told them my side of the story. They did not believe me and continued to search for him, not as my missing husband-but as a fugitive."

Donnie looked into her brown eyes and asked.

"So you knew that he was alive? Or assumed it?"

Shen was silent for several moments, she felt tears welling up in her eyes at the memories that came to her mind, all the fear and doubt she had over her husband's disappearance returning to her once again.

"To be honest Donatello... I did not know what to believe... I wanted to believe that he had simply took off and would one day return... the other part felt he was dead."

Looking in her tear filled eyes Donnie said softly.

"You didn't believe that did you? That he was dead or just simply ran off?"

Shen felt the tears roll down her face and said.

"I knew in my heart he would come back... but when my friend told me that he was still alive and that he was in New York I had to come right away..."

Donnie felt awkward over her crying, he felt he had to do something so he wrapped his arms around her in a hug and said softly.

"You have him back now... but what I don't understand why your friend waited so long?"

She sniffled and pulled away from the hug before replying in a broken voice.

"The officer that was on duty worked for Saki... He knew that Yoshi needed time to heal... so he waited... perhaps way too long, to tell any one. He quit the force some time ago and only recently told his daughter about Yoshi."

They were both silent for a moment before she continued.

"I honestly felt, after ten years had passed, that he had died... seeing as I had not received word of his death or his whereabouts."

"You never tried to remarry?"

She shook her head and said.

"That is actually a dishonorable act. When a loved one goes missing whether by death or being a missing person, a woman or a man should not marry again or try and replace them."

Donnie nodded at this. They were interrupted by the door opening and Raph coming in.

"Sorry to interrupt, Don, um... Sensei wants a word with you."

Donnie swallowed hard and nodded. He rose from his position and walked towards his older brother, before he asked.

"What did I do?"

Raph held his hand up and said quickly.

"I don't think your in trouble. He just asked me to come get you."

Donatello nodded once more and went to meet his father, who he found in the dojo; looking around the room he found his father sitting in front of the shrine.

"Sensei, you...you wanted to, um, see me?"

Splinter stood and turned to his son.

"Yes, please shut the door."

Sliding the door shut, Donnie walked with lead feet to his father, looking up he said softly.

"Did I do something?"

Splinter smiled kindly at his son and said.

"No, you are in no trouble, I only wish to speak to you about our current situation with the Shredder."

Letting out a relieved sigh Donnie asked.

"What is it?"

"Do you feel if you were in a situation where you were out numbered, you could win a fight or get away?"

Donatello knew why his father was asking this question, he was not the best fighter the team had.

"I don't feel confidant about being in a situation like that, no."

Splinter nodded and told him.

"Then you and I are going to do some training, one on one for a few weeks. I will put you in situations that you have to get your self out of. I do not think it would be fair to exclude you from going topside on patrols. I want to know that you can defend your self without your brother's aid."

"Hai Sensei, I will do my best."

Splinter's brown eyes met his son's and he said sternly.

"Remember Donatello, this training is going to test you beyond your physical abilities. You will be put in situations that you must be able to get out of. I will not be the only one doing this training, I have spoken with your brothers and Miwa. They have all agreed to help. Now, I do not want you to think the worst of this. You are a good fighter my son, but you are not the strongest nor the fastest. I want to train you to be a little faster then you normally are. I know it seems like I am saying that you're weak, but know that you are not. Your strength is more mental then physical, this is something I should have done long ago, but it is never too late. The hours will be long, and the training difficult."

Donnie let out a breath he had no idea he was holding and said.

"Hai Sensei, I can handle it."

Splinter knew that his son was strong, but when it came to combat he was easily taken down because he was not the fastest to get away or the strongest. He loved his son and simply wanted to help him. He only hoped that this would help him keep from getting captured...

**Beta Read by Turtlefan141  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **Sorry for the lack of updates for over a month, RL got in the way. I know I should be updating A Father's Love, Firsts &amp; Firsts and One Shots but I have a case of writers block. AND I also had an idea for a Power Ranger story. Do not worry, I have that story all but written so it will not take the place of the Ninja Turtle stories I need to work on.

* * *

With his back against the wall, he looked his opponent dead in the eyes. He could practically see the 'I'm sorry' written there as he blocked the sai with his bo staff again. It had been a week since the rigorous training began, and Donatello was worn out.

Every day, for four to six hours straight, he had to train like this. He had to spar his brothers, who were clearly instructed not to hold back. And it was no surprise that Donatello could not hold back either; he had to treat it as if it were real combat – and that was quickly becoming exhausting.

Expertly swinging his bo, he blocked Raphael again, this time knocking the weapons from his brother's hands. With a low growl he hit him in the chest, knocking him to the ground and pinning him to the mats with the staff across his brother's heaving chest. Both were completely exhausted, and when it finally registered that there was now a clear victor, a near-relieved look fell into both their eyes.

"Yame!" Splinter then called, quickly (thankfully) ending the match.

As their sensei walked over, Donatello swiped away the sweat trickling down his face and offered his brother a hand off the floor.

"Very good Donatello," Splinter praised, though his eyes held another truth. "You are becoming increasingly better. But now I want you to spar against Leonardo."

They had been at this for a little over three hours now, and yet Donatello wasn't exactly surprised about their father's request. Solemnly glancing over at his brothers, he knew that Leonardo would be harder to beat. He always was. But one look in his tired, blue eyes told that he had a plan in mind, and Donatello didn't question it. Instead he faced his eldest brother and bowed, as per usual.

"Hajime!"

The two routinely circled one another for a few long moments before Leonardo charged at his younger brother. Donatello swiped his bo and blocked the first strike easily. They danced back and forth for several agonizing moments before Don suddenly noticed something in his older brother; a mistake usually only made by beginners. Leo had put his left foot out in front of him instead of behind.

Seeing the strange opportunity, Donatello seized all the advantage he needed to knock his brother down. Kicking his right foot out, he swiftly kicked Leonardo's left knee, knocking him to the ground.

"Yame!" Splinter called, brows furrowed in displeasure as he watched his oldest son stand. "Leonardo, what was that? Why did you make it so easy for Donatello to knock you down?"

Leo swallowed hard, almost looking like he wasn't going to respond, but finally settled on, "He's getting tired. I- I just thought-..."

"Leonardo, this training exercise is supposed to help him get stronger!" Splinter snapped. "You were instructed not to hold back, and you blatantly disobeyed! One more time and there will be consequences! Now try again."

Frowning, Leo faced his brother a second time and he raised his swords. Slicing the air, metal brutally hit wood in an attempt to disarm his younger brother.

Miwa watched from her father's side as her two brothers sparred. She'd never fought Donatello before, but from what she could tell when he was fighting the Foot, he was certainly getting better. Stronger, even. The only thing she feared, however, was whether or not she'd be able to give it all and restrain from holding back.

Before long, Donatello had his back against the wall. His bo staff had long since been disarmed, but surprisingly he was still standing. Moving quickly, he rolled under his brother and ran for the weapon's rack, snatching down a spare sai that hung there. For a while now, his older brother had been teaching him how to wield it, and this was the moment of truth.

Raphael, watching from the side as his sibling took his designated weapon off the rack, smiled when in just a matter of minutes Leo was disarmed and pinned down.

"Yame!"

Standing up and now completely out of breath, he stood beside his eldest brother before their father and waited for instructions.

"Very good Donatello," Splinter said. "Leonardo, you seemed to be taken by surprise at the weapon change."

Leonardo immediately stood at attention. "I didn't expect the sai to be used, Sensei."

"And why not? Is he not a ninja like you?"

Leo glanced away. "Hai Sensei, he is a ninja like me. But when you had us switch weapons a while back, he couldn't use them before."

Splinter put his hands behind his back and said, "Would you agree that he has been practicing with the sai?"

"Hai Sensei."

"Donatello, have you been practicing on your own?"

Shaking his head Don said, "No Sensei, Raph has been teaching me how to use it."

Splinter gave his second eldest a proud look, then turned back to Donatello.

"The student has surpassed the teacher. Even Raphael has had his difficulties at disarming Leonardo. Congratulations, my son. As a reward for accomplishing this goal, you may have a brief break before sparring with Miwa."

Donnie looked over at Miwa, who's eyes were suddenly wide at the idea of them sparring together. When she was their enemy, Donnie had rarely engaged combat with her; and when he did he always seemed to lose.

Going over to the edge of the mat, he grabbed his water bottle and took a long drink. The cold liquid felt good going down his hot throat. He had not been feeling well, but decided if it was better if he didn't tell Splinter. He knew the key to his survival and in not getting captured was this training, and his father would probably not allow him to train if he was sick.

Raph watched his little brother leave and turned to Miwa.

"So how 'bout that spar session we talked about? You game?"

She smiled at him playfully.

"Really Raphael?" she sneered. "You really think you can win against me? Pfft. You're on."

They took their positions in the middle of the room.

"This is no weapons sparring; hand to hand combat only," Raph instructed. "With you being a kunoichi and all, it wouldn't be a fair competition if we used weapons."

He gave her a sly grin after saying that, she shook her head and told him.

"Raphael, since when have you ever cared about a fair fight?"

Raph shrugged and walked over to the weapon's rack and took down two staffs one slightly shorter then the other.

"Never, but fine, we will use Donnie's practice staffs."

The entire time the two were talking Splinter remained in the room watching them, he gave a little chuckle when Raphael brought out the staffs. Shaking his head he said to the two.

"Hajime!"

They stared each other down as they circled around the mat, Miwa held the staff firmly in her grip as she studied Raph. She had fought him a few times when she was Karai, their sworn enemy, but now that she was their sister she didn't know if she should go easy on him or not. When they had fought back at Shredder's lair she held back, a little any way.

Raph twirled the staff in his hands and swept the staff under the taller opponent's legs, jumping Miwa flipped in the air and hit Raph hard on the shell and made him stumble forward. They played cat and mouse for several moments before they got into a real sparring session and Miwa won. She gave him a half smile, her black hair falling in her face a little as she had one foot on his plastron and the staff at his throat.

"I think you need more training. Not Donatello. If this had been a fight between us months ago your life would have ended just now."

Raph laid on his shell as he looked up at Miwa above him, now he knew she had taken it easy on him at Shredder's lair. He gulped and said quickly.

"Can you take the staff outta my throat please."

Miwa gave him a sly look and got her foot and the staff off of him, she turned to their father who stood nearby with a surprised look on his face.

"Very good Miwa, Raphael, you must not be over confident when facing an opponent. If Miwa had still been with Shredder she could have ended you. If she had been Shredder then you would have been killed instantly. You must stay focused."

Raph gave his father an annoyed look and got up off the mat, he looked over at Miwa and said.

"I want a rematch."

Miwa turned to the short turtle and told him.

"I would not advise that Raphael, you're not in any position to fight me, besides if you want a rematch then we have to do it my way... and that is with weapons we have both been trained with."

Leo was still in the room and watched trying not to laugh as Raph had been beat by Miwa, he was half glad Mikey wasn't still in the room or their red masked brother would never hear the end of it.

Raph's eyes narrowed and he said to her.

"You're on!"

Splinter shook his head at his son as he watched them gather the weapons they were going to be using.

With his sai in hand Raphael got ready for round two, staring intently into Karai's brown eyes he thought about how he was going to take her down. In a swift movement Karai used her katana and sliced thru the air at Raph who blocked with his sai.

The fight was intense and lasted for several moments before they were both huffing and puffing with exhaustion. By now the entire Hamato family was in the room watching with much interest, the fight continued for another 15 minutes before Karai pinned Raphael to the mat once again. Karai looked into Raph's green eyes and said to him seriously.

"If I had still been with Shredder you would so be dead right now!"

Raph was laying beneath her holding her right forearm as she held him down with her katana, she was being careful and he knew it. She could easily slice him if she wanted to, his free arm was pinned by her left arm as she stared at him with a menacing look.

Donnie huffed and said quickly.

"And I'm the one who needs more training? Raph just got his shell handed to him!"

Raphael turned his head to look at his younger brother and said sharply.

"Can it brainiac! 'Fore I beat the green off ya!"

Donnie noticed Karai had not let him up yet and said smoothly.

"Ya know what Raph? I would like to see you try, really I would. Because you constantly threaten that with all three of us."

Shen stood next to Splinter and giggled a little and said to her husband softly.

"Should we intervene?"

Splinter gave her a half smile and said softly.

"No, if Donatello is feeling this brave to challenge Raphael, who mind you is the most temperamental of the four, I would let him be."

Splinter watched as his daughter still had not let Raphael up, he quickly said to her.

"Miwa Yame!"

She looked back at her parents and then let her little brother up, but when the weight was off of Raph he jumped to his feet and charged at Donnie who stood there and waited. Miwa walked over to her parents and remaining brothers and watched the scene play out as Donatello and Raphael half played half fought. Splinter knew it was not a fight between the two middle turtles but it was pretty close, after a few minutes he shouted.

"Yame!"

Both boys froze and looked over at their father who was standing with his hands folded behind his back. Splinter walked forward and told them.

"That is enough for now. Donatello can continue practice tomorrow morning, and will be paired with Miwa then."

All five teens bowed and left the dojo, all too tired to argue. Leo went to his room to meditate, Raph opted to watch a movie with the others in the pit.

During the movie Donnie could not help but wonder what Shredder wanted him for? He didn't have any mutants.

This had been bugging him ever since Miwa told them all Shredder's plans, now he just had to wait and find out for himself the plan of action.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Sorry for being gone so long guys! I have not abandoned any of my stories I can promise you that. I am working on my first ever crossover fic so this could get interesting. My muse for this chapter came out of nowhere so hopefully it will happen again soon.

* * *

Back at his Lab Baxter Stockman began working on the DNA samples he had taken. He then called the Krang to help him capture some more human test subjects, two men in particular: Ivan Steranko, and Anton Zeck. These two had caused Shredder some grief as of recent and Baxter wanted to use them for the first round of experiments...

Once the two men arrived hours later Baxter gave a joyful look at the Krang and told them. "Thank you for your assistance, now put them over there in that tube."

Anton and Ivan were struggling to no avail and shouting out obscenities towards the Krang. Ivan looked directly at Baxter and shouted in with his thick accent.

"What be the meaning of this? We have done nothing to anger Shredder."

Baxter approached him from outside the isolation chamber he was using for the mutations and said firmly.

"You have been selected to test out the mutagen for our master, so I really hope you like what I have in store for you."

Anton had been put to the side being held firmly by the Krang while Ivan was mutated first. Ivan's glare was furious as he pounded his large fists against the plastic of the chamber.

"This is an outrage! I not want to be mutate! Let me go!"

With a sinister look at Ivan, Baxter threw the switch and out poured a bat of mutagen into the chamber housing Ivan.

He had enough of the mutagen for two mutations at the moment, Krang promised to supply more before the end of the night so he could make more.

As the mutation occurred Ivan let out shouts of pain as he slowly began to change shape and size. Taking on the look of a rhinoceros. Ivan was unconscious for several moments before opening his eyes, he tried to look out the plastic at Baxter but could only see to one side where Anton was being held and was struggling wildly. To the other side he could see computers, working to get his vision to focus was he able to see in front of him, and all he could see was a wall of green slim soaking the plastic tube.

Baxter pulled another switch to drain the tube of the mutagen and this time dousing Ivan with water to wash off any residue left on him. Once rinsed off he opened the chamber and told him.

"So what do you think of your new appearance?"

Off to the side, one of the Krang droids walked up with a mirror and let the Rhino look at himself. Growling in anger Ivan raised his fists and shouted.

"I am a rhinoceros! I am a mutant freak! How could you do tis to me! I done nothing but be loyal to Shredder!"

Baxter frowned and then said to the 'confused' Ivan Steranko. "It wasn't Shredder's doing, it was the turtles! Donatello specifically. You need to take your anger out on him! He's the enemy here, not Shredder."

Anton was screeching off to the side and struggling to no avail. "Come on man! Yo can't mutate me! I'm too handsome! Let us go! We ain't done nothin to tick off Shredder!"

Baxter walked over to Anton and told him. "Stealing Shredder's helmet was wrong, and yes I heard about that. Anytime you have done any work for Shredder you have stabbed him in the back. So yes you will be punished."

Anton stopped his struggling momentarily and said. "What? He still sore about that? He needs to let that go!"

Ignoring him he motioned to the Krang and ordered. "Place him in the chamber!"

Krang nodded and did as they were told to do. This time without any hesitation Baxter threw the switch and had the bright green mutagen come down over Anton. Then after rinsing him off he opened the door. The new mutant was knocked out but began within seconds to come around.

Ivan looked over at his comrade and said to Baxter. "What you do to him?"

Baxter gave him a devilish smile and said. "He's a warthog. A fitting punishment for a pig like him."

Ivan stood up, he still had his visor over his eyes as he looked around, at the end of his 'nose' he saw horns sticking out of it. He squealed and jumped when he touched it and saw how far from his face his 'hand' was.

"Man, what did you just do to me?"

Walking over to the mirror on shaking knees he stood before the mirror and saw his appearance. Squealing again he shouted in a high pitch voice.

"A pig! I'm a dang pig! The ladies don't like pigs! Aw, come on man! Why a pig!"

Ivan put his large hand on Anton's abnormally larger shoulder and told him gently. "Easy now there comrade, it is this, Donatello we are to be mad at. We are to capture him for the Shredder, in order for him to get his daughter back."

Anton looked up at his friend and told him. "But I thought it was that guy that mutated us? I don't see no dang turtle up in here?"

"That is because the turtles foiled our plans to serve Shredder, thus making us fail him too much of the time. If it wasn't for the turtles we still be humans, not mutant freaks."

Pounding his fist in his open palm Anton stated firmly. "Those freaks are gonna pay! When do we go get em?"

Baxter jumped in and told them. "Soon guys, first Shredder wants to see what you turned into. He wants an army to attack the turtles. He wants Donatello alive and unharmed."

With a look of puzzlement, the new Rhino mutant asked. "What Shredder want with mutant turtle? The freak is already mutate? What he want? To mutate him again? What is that do to him?"

Baxter shrugged and tried to bite his tough, this man's horrible English was about to drive him nuts. "Not really my problem, I just follow orders. If Shredder wants him mutated then I will mutate him. But it's not my concern what happens to him in the end."

One of the Krang bots went to get Shredder, little did the turtles know that Shredder had evil plans for their resident genius turtle. And the plans could change him possibly forever...


End file.
